The Lost Namikaze
by FaerieLight
Summary: When Uchiha Itachi aborts a mission and nearly starts a war, his comrades think he's gone mad. When he kidnaps a child from the Land of Earth, they're certain of it. But Itachi knows the Yondaime Hokage would not regret war if it meant the chance to meet his son.
1. The Rogue Uchiha

**This idea kept clanging around in the back of my mind, distracting me like crazy. H** **ope you enjoy it! If you do, please consider leaving a review!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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The Rogue Uchiha

Reports from Iwa were alarming. Actually, downright _baffling_ might be a better descriptor. Much speculation and wild accusations shot around the ANBU headquarters where the latest information from Iwa was being digested even as the rumors began to gain traction in the very streets of Konoha. Some ANBU - no doubt bewildered as the rest of them - had shot his mouth off, and word had gotten round to the villagers and, from there, the Council of Elders. The indiscreet shinobi would be disciplined harshly when he or she was discovered. Right now, they had bigger problems.

The masks of the ANBU had been discarded haphazardly around the room. A central table was heaped with disordered papers and hastily strewn maps. Morino Ibiki, head of ANBU forces, ran a tight ship, demanding excellence in everything from taijutsu to housecleaning from his ranks. The disorder and the fact that Ibiki scarcely noted it were clear signs of the uproar that had gripped them all.

"We must brief Hokage-sama," said Ibiki.

"What _in the name of the Sage_ are we supposed to tell him?" demanded one of his underlings. Usually the young man who wore a rabbit mask was calm and composed as required as a member of ANBU. This outburst was highly unbecoming of an officer, but Ibiki did not upbraid him.

"He finally lost his mind," said another. "Some of us saw it coming."

"He was too young when he joined us. We all thought so."

"His father pushed the appointment through."

"Goddamn Uchiha -"

"Enough." Ibiki's hand slapped the table with a resounding smack. "I will brief Hokage-sama and the Council. While I am gone, prepare the orders for the recall of our squads in the field. _All squads._ Await further orders."

Recalling the squads...they all knew what that meant. "Is it war then?" an ANBU asked grimly.

Ibiki paused by the door. "Unless Iwa halts their pursuit, unless we somehow avoid bloodshed, unless any one of a thousand things do _not_ go wrong - yes, it's war."

… … …

The three ranking members of the Council along with the heads of Konoha's eminent clans crowded into the Yondaime Hokage's office for an emergency meeting. Ibiki put truth to the rumors they had all heard and hitherto dismissed as outrageous. Another time, under other circumstances, Ibiki might have delighted in the thunderstruck expressions, complete with jaws agape, that each person in the room now sported. But the consequences were too dire, the scope of this disaster too monumental for amusement.

Namikaze Minato had not escaped the thrall of astonishment. He would not believe the claim from anyone else but Morino Ibiki.

"A child?" exclaimed Minato. "Uchiha Itachi has kidnapped a child?"

"From the Land of Earth." Ibiki nodded. "He is bringing the child straight to Konoha. At least, that is our analysis based on his current course."

Minato looked to the ceiling as though he might find answers in the air. "Itachi-kun was on a reconnaissance mission."

"He did not complete it," said Ibiki. "His team reports that their captain disappeared for a full day and night. When he returned, he ordered them to abort the mission and report to the nearest safe house. He did not have the child with him at the time. A second team has searched the area since then. They've found clear signs of a battle, including a significant amount of blood, but it seems Iwa nin reached the sight first and cleared any bodies."

"And Iwa's response?"

"Several squads have pursued Uchiha through the Land of Grass. We believe they will attempt to secure him and the child before crossing the border into the Land of Fire. My men await orders to engage them."

Which would be a declaration of war, but if the Uchiha captain had, in fact, killed Iwa shinobi, the two nations might already be at war.

No friend to the Uchiha clan, Councilwoman Koharu said, "Hokage-sama, the Uchiha's actions are a clear violation of his mission and the bounds of his authority. If he is punished and stripped of his rank, if the child is returned without harm, we can avert war."

Hyuuga Hiashi said grimly, "Or we can use this opportunity to crush Iwagakure. It's been a long time coming."

The mood grew impossibly darker, and Minato's mind went back to a time almost five years ago, not long after he'd ascended to his position of Hokage, a time after the Third Shinobi War when the world had seemed at peace and Minato's own happiness had overflowed. Precious memories of those few years pressed upon him now, but an all too familiar bitterness rose in his chest and drowned them out. Once, it had seemed Konoha and Iwa would move past the conflicts of the Third Shinobi War and into an age of true cooperation. But that was _before_.

Before mounting tensions, before economic sanctions, before mobilization, before Uzumaki Kushina was kidnapped.

She had left Konoha for a simple escort mission, B rank. She was the jounin captain leading a team of chunin. Those chunin were especially skilled. Minato had seen to that. In fact, one of them was ANBU in disguise. After his relationship with Kushina became known, heightening her security - without making it obvious to her - was necessary, but as time cruelly proved, his measures were insufficient. Her team never reported reaching the Land of Grass. ANBU descended on their trail. Minato's best student, Hatake Kakashi, led the search with his dog summons and with every intent of moving heaven on earth to find her. Instead, they found the bodies of her team strung up in trees. Kushina herself had vanished. A downtrodden and altogether wretched Kakashi had returned to Konoha bearing only a single long strand of red hair.

Her safe return was more than the deepest longing of Konoha's Hokage. Uzumaki Kushina was the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko. An invaluable asset that must, at all costs, be retrieved. All clan members agreed. Konoha's forces rapidly assembled and moved into the territory where her whereabouts were last known: the border of the Land of Earth and Grass. Iwa cried foul and denied all culpability.

Only the location and past enmity linked Iwa to Kushina's disappearance. Considering the frantic state of Minato's mind back then, it was plenty to spark war anew. But when evidence - scant evidence, true, but evidence none the less - pointed to Kumogakure instead, Minato hesitated.

Those were dark days. Konoha was coiled like cobra, poised to sink its lethal fangs into whichever nation twitched first. But definitive evidence was never uncovered. Interrogations yielded no new information. He met personally with the Tsuchikage and Raikage and swore to rain fire on their villages if Kushina's disappearance was either of their doing. Finally, Iwa and Kumo both allowed Konoha teams, escorted by their own shinobi, conditional entry into their nations. Hordes of Hyuugas, Aburames, and Inuzukas descended on the foreign nations and scoured the land for signs of Kushina. If a sign ever existed, it had been lost in the weeks since her kidnapping. Or the signs were deliberately erased. Torn apart by love and rage, Minato had agonized while many screamed for revenge and others wept at the thought of another war before the scars of the last had healed. More blood. More death.

In the end, one thing restrained Minato: the thought that Iwa and Kumo were framed by a third party, the fear that he would be playing into a master manipulator's hands if he led the Land of Fire into war. After six months of escalation, the Hokage negotiated for increased access to each nation's information network and continuous patrolling in return for a marked decrease in hostilities and reopening of trade. Both the Tsuchikage and Raikage seemed relieved to accept, though their gruff exteriors did not suggest it. Minato was not giving up. He was changing tactics. Someone _somewhere_ knew what had befallen Kushina. In time, that someone would fall into his ever growing web of information. It was what he had believed back then. Five years later, the trail was stone cold dead, Minato's heart along with it.

While he had not chosen war, the Hokage never lost his suspicion that one of the two nations - or both, working together - had stolen Kushina from him, and a small part of him, the one that whispered to him in the lonely dark of night, believed that he would never learn the truth of her disappearance until he'd razed the hidden villages. Nevertheless, tensions had more or less settled since that accursed day. Now Uchiha Itachi, in the most blatantly obnoxious stunt Minato could envision, threatened to upend the fraught cease fire. Minato couldn't decide if he rejoiced in the thought or not.

An ANBU wearing a hawk mask jumped to the windowsill. Ibiki accepted a slip of paper from him before the shinobi vanished to the rooftop. Ibiki read the note. When his eyes slightly widened, everyone tensed for bad news. "I sent a team to make contact with Uchiha," said Ibiki. "When they attempted to stop him, he retaliated. No deaths, but one of my men was injured. He received emergency field care from a med-nin. Two of my men are still in pursuit of Captain Uchiha."

Silence absorbed the shock that engulfed them all.

"Uchiha Itachi has the beginnings of an Iwa army at his back!" declared Inuzuka Tsume. "How long are we gonna debate this? We gotta work fast here."

Minato had met with Itachi personally before signing off on the mission. Itachi's tender age had always given him pause. To bear the burden of leadership was not a task for children, nor was the grim necessity of killing, but Itachi was a true genius. More importantly, his maturity surpassed many men twice his age. Minato had taken care to draw the boy out when he could, even ordering him as his Hokage to speak his inner thoughts when he clammed up. Itachi had stood in this very office not four weeks ago and told Minato of his younger brother's antics, trying to outdo him by learning their clan's fireball jutsu at an earlier age than he had. The quiet affection in his voice had helped convince Minato that Itachi's mind was as sound as ever.

A child. Why would Uchiha Itachi ever dream of stealing a child away from its home? Unless the child was being mistreated, unless the child reminded him of his younger brother - no, even then, Itachi was a shinobi, a damn good one at that. He wouldn't allow a passing resemblance to his brother to alter his judgement and imperil the stability of the continent.

Minato rubbed the bridge of his nose. He knew he was grasping at straws, but he would believe anything before he would accept that Uchiha Itachi had willfully betrayed Konoha.

"Could Iwa have put him under a powerful genjutsu?"

"Impossible."

Heads turned to see Uchiha Fugaku, flanked by two of his own lieutenants, enter the Hokage's office. Everyone stiffened. There had long been rumblings that the Uchiha were discontent with their present status in Konoha. More than one mind present ran through a scenario of an outbreak of war meant to deplete Konoha's forces, of an Uchiha rebellion meant to overthrow the current Hokage and Council. The blame of Itachi's actions might fall squarely at his father's feet. Tempers were riding high, and clan rivalries began to reassert their ugly heads. Minato knew beyond a doubt that he must come to a decision soon, before a war broke out in his own village.

"My son would never be caught by such a jutsu," Fugaku said. "His abilities in genjutsu are unmatched throughout the Five Nations. It is impossible."

Hiashi said, "Then he has gone rogue."

"My son knows his duty to his village and his family. He would never violate that duty."

"Then perhaps his loyalties became crossed," suggested Hiashi.

Only a tightening of his shoulders and the corners of his mouth hinted at Fugaku's state of mind. "Is that why I was not summoned to this meeting? Is the Uchiha clan suspect? We, who would contribute the greatest force of shinobi - in both number and quality - to an army Konoha amasses to defend her sovereignty?"

"We have made no such claim, Fugaku," said Shikaku, speaking for the first time. "We are all seeking to understand this unprecedented situation." All his mighty intellect could not unravel the puzzle.

Fugaku spoke solely to Minato, whose chin rested on his steepled fingers, his brows crossed in concentration. "Hokage-sama, I understand my son is returning to Konoha. That does not support the idea of his interests being separate from those of Konoha." It was clear Fugaku detested the word "rogue" by the effort he took to avoid it.

"Starting a war of his own volition is," said Yamanaka Inoichi. "Injuring a member of ANBU is. And if he is coming to Konoha with a few squads of Iwa shinobi at his back, what is to say he is not, in fact, leading the invading forces?"

Uchiha Fugaku's hand spasmed before he smoothed over the reaction, but it was enough to draw the Hokage's ANBU bodyguards from various concealed locations. Kunai flashed. Bodies tensed. Minato waved for his bodyguards to stand down, and he saw that Fugaku's men did the same. His instincts told him this was no plot of the Uchihas. What he read in Fugaku's demeanor was something he had rarely seen there: anxiety, plain and simple. He feared for his elder son or perhaps for the reputation of his clan. Probably both. And for good reason.

"Hokage-sama," Fugaku said, "an elite shinobi of Konohagakure is being hunted by an enemy village. Our recourse is obvious."

"Hokage-sama?" said Ibiki, waiting for orders.

Minato bowed his head and thought, as he often did, of Kushina. How much lighter would the weight of the world be if she were there to share it? When he opened his eyes, his mind was made. "In this extraordinary circumstance, we will put our trust in a shinobi who has never yet failed us."

The tension in the room drained somewhat, though suspicion lingered. Ibiki said, "In that case, Hokage-sama, I request permission to attach a detail to Uchiha Itachi and assure his safe passage into the Land of Fire. After which, I request permission to intercept him."

"And if he resists?" asked Minato. Fugaku twitched but remained silent.

"I request permission to subdue him, with deadly force if necessary."

A muffled dissent arose from Fugaku's lieutenants, but they were silenced by Fugaku himself.

"Protect him," said Minato. "Try to make contact. Do not engage in battle. There is a child to consider, as well."

A few people recoiled, having dismissed the child as an odd accessory to this outrageous situation and not a creature that needed protection.

"Just _who_ is the kid?" said Tsume. "A lovechild?"

Fugaku choked. "Im-impossible!"

Minato cut through the noise. "It is irrelevant at the moment."

"How far do we allow him to penetrate before we stop him?" asked Ibiki. "I do not recommend allowing him into the village until he has explained himself. To do otherwise would demonstrate to Iwa that we approve of this kidnapping. If we want to save any room to walk back from this -"

"Let me go," said Fugaku quickly. "Please, Hokage-sama, let me speak to him."

The uncharacteristic plea changed the dynamic in the room, as more clan heads and the elders themselves regarded Fugaku with less disdain, but Hiashi still said, "Consider, Hokage-sama. A team of Uchiha shinobi poised to join with the Iwa squads."

Minato shot the Hyuuga a warning glance. "Don't be foolish, Hiashi-san. The Uchihas will have left their families in Konoha under our protection. The clan has not always behaved wisely, but they have never been so very foolhardy as that."

Fugaku understood the threat and in light of his son's precarious position accepted it with only the faintest clenching of his jaw. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Minato stood. "I want regular updates. If Iwa passes into Konoha's domain, we will attack them with intent to capture and only to kill in self-defense. Furthermore, Uchiha Itachi will not injure another Konoha shinobi without a reciprocal response. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

… … …

Uchiha Itachi raced across the ground as fast as his legs would carry him. So - quite fast indeed. He sensed the Konoha shinobi scattered around him, keeping a safe distance, and felt a rush of gratitude towards Hokage, who surely had ordered this restraint. It indicated a great trust, which Itachi hoped he would soon validate. He had never been a spiritual person, but he prayed long and hard that he was not wrong to do this.

The arms that were wrapped around his neck tightened their hold, and Itachi felt new wetness trickle down his skin. The child, a boy of no more than four and small for his age, was crying. Itachi couldn't blame him; he was just glad the boy was cooperating by staying still and silent. That was less a result of obedience, he imagined, and more a result of being scared to death.

When they passed into the Land of Fire, Itachi breathed more easily. Iwa still dogged his steps, but he had no doubt they would be blocked if they tried to delve too deeply. It was a careful balance Konoha sought to maintain right now. Iwa, too. How much they had known, how much they knew now - Itachi wasn't certain, but he believed he carried in his arms the justification for the Fourth Shinobi War. It was that realization alone that had made him hesitate when he first saw the boy and first questioned him. This chase over field and stone and the uproar it had surely caused in Konoha were his own fault. He would carry the weight of his shameful indecision all the days of his life.

He would never have taken a break for himself, but the boy had begun to bawl in earnest. With a wary glance into the trees, Itachi slowed. He secured his own cloak around the boy, hiding his hair and face from any vigilant eyes. As the swaddled boy relieved himself, Itachi dug up a ration bar for him and took a bite of it himself.

A noise from the boy brought his head around. Itachi could only see his chin clearly. It wobbled. "Dhey won't come after me?"

Itachi shook his head. "You saw me kill them. They can't hurt you." He hoped the sights and smells of that slaughter would not stay with the boy long. In any case, his tears had begun to dry.

A shaking branch ended their moment of stillness. Itachi planned a genjutsu trap for the ANBU that got too close.

"Come, little one."

The boy raised his arms, too thin to signify good health. Itachi lifted him, and the race was on.

… … …

Uchiha Fugaku fumed and stormed in equal measure as he awaited the arrival of his elder son, his family's paradigm of shinobi prowess, the pride of the whole village. How he had rejoiced and reveled in his son's accomplishments! How brutally all that admiration came crashing down around him as he was forced to confront his son's reckless behavior. With each moment this scandal continued, shame was heaped onto the name of Uchiha. No more. Fugaku would stop it here, less than a mile out from Konoha's walls. Here. And now.

His son leaped down from the treetops. He was always so graceful, even after the many miles he had covered in a matter of hours, but Fugaku detected the carefully controlled breathing, as though, left on his own, he would be gasping for air. Fugaku frowned at the unmoving bundle Itachi held against his chest. Was the child dead? It would surely be best if that were the case.

"Father," said Itachi, and Fugaku concealed his surprise. He had expected Itachi to combat him with silence. Instead, his son broke custom and stared him down like an avenging wraith. It was unsettling.

"Itachi," he said, certain to let his disappointment leak into the name. Then came the anger. "What have you done, boy?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

The blatant disrespect caught him off guard. As he was composing a response, his son took one step towards him. Sharingans activated, Fugaku's guards lurched forward at the perceived threat - and a threat it most certainly was.

"I'm sorry, Father, but if you intend to stand in my way, I will defeat you. It will not be a challenge." The weight of his killing intent settled over Fugaku. "Don't make Sasuke grow up without a father."

For a moment, Fugaku almost believed him, almost believed his son could kill him. Then the bundle whimpered, and his arms wrapped more snugly around it.

"Not much longer," he murmured to the child. "Be brave, little one." Fugaku had never seen such gentleness from his son, at least, not directed towards anyone other than his younger brother. Fugaku stared at the bundle, the pale little ankles that barely showed, the slender arms wrapped around his son's neck. Not a hair poked out of the cloak in which the child was wrapped, so he could make no judgements based on sight alone.

Was this his grandchild? No, he blanched. Itachi would not be so reckless. At least, Fugaku would never have believed it of him, but on this very day, he might have single handedly incited a war with Iwa. Besides, was his son even old enough to father children? The child was no infant. That was clear. The timing was impossible.

"Well, Father?"

The unmistakable quiver in Itachi's voice spoke volumes. His son had run himself ragged, and all the confidence he exuded was a last-ditched effort to maintain his composure. Itachi was still lethal, but Fugaku's men could take him, rid themselves of this child, and end this humiliating conflict.

"I'm sorry, Itachi. This is for the good of the clan."

A beat passed. His men gasped then and fell to their knees as one, clutching their throats and retching.

"It's rats," said Itachi softly. His eyes glittered in the darkness. "Rats are biting and clawing inside their stomachs and climbing up their throats. I suspect the rats will soon find a taste for eyeballs."

"They are your family, Itachi!"

Itachi stepped closer to his father, and the sight of the Mangekyo Sharingan struck Fugaku like a punch to his gut. He gaped. Pride and elation tried to worm their way into his heart, but something else in Itachi's eyes stopped those feelings cold. Since when had his elder son, his beloved son, grown to hate him?

"Last chance, Father."

Fugaku stepped aside. Itachi vanished into the night.

… … …

Minato watched Uchiha Itachi run straight to the gates of Konoha. The young man was a marvel. Ibiki had brought in five new squads to give the others time to rest. Itachi outran them, all while carrying his burden across the many miles of rugged terrain. Minato could read the exhaustion in his limbs, which moved stiffly, and the slump of his shoulders - so different from his usual poise. Most telling, Itachi had not noticed the Hokage's presence on top of the wall. He was nearly dead on his feet, yet he stayed true to his purpose and confronted the ANBU lining the gate with all the resolve of a samurai - and all the while cradling the child. Truly, a marvel.

Ibiki's thoughts about the Uchiha were less generous: _The kid has lost his motherfucking mind._

"I will stop for no one but the Hokage," Itachi informed the barricade of shinobi, who gazed with intense curiosity at the child hidden under the cloak.

"Your actions border on treasonous, Uchiha," said an ANBU. "You're in no position to make demands. Hand over the child. You are under arrest."

The little legs just visible from under the cloak kicked out. To their astonishment, Itachi patted what must be the child's back and made a comforting noise.

"I will speak to Hokage-sama," he said. "Afterwards, I will not resist arrest."

An impressive display of posturing ensued. Then Minato heard a little whimper from the child in his arms. Enough of this.

"I'm here, Itachi-kun." He jumped to the ground and approached the Uchiha.

"Hokage-sama," Itachi said. The mind-numbing relief in his voice caught Minato off guard as did the sudden glance from his face to the child. The ANBU exchanged looks. Minato gestured for Itachi to follow him, but the ANBU began to follow as well.

"Only Hokage," Itachi snarled. The shinobi puffed up their chests and prepared for a verbal battle if not a physical one. But Itachi anticipated them. "Hokage-sama, grant me an audience. Without them."

Minato raised a hand to stop them. At the moment, there was nothing Minato would deny Itachi, not when that note of desperation entered his voice. When it became clear he meant to leave them behind, his ANBU guard said, "Hokage-sama! I must insist -"

"And I must order you to stand down. Come, Itachi." Minato leaped towards the nearest roof and was inordinately pleased to see that Itachi could still manage such a feat. Minato could feel the gazes of his shinobi burning holes in his back. More than one of them wondered if their Hokage was about to be murdered, though they didn't see how the Uchiha could accomplish it in his current condition. More than fear for their Hokage, the pervading emotion they felt was nothing less than unadulterated curiosity.

Minato's curiosity was no less extreme. He simply could not fathom what was running through Itachi's mind. In truth, Itachi at the moment was focused on putting one foot in front of the other. It was with great relief that they went straight to Hokage-sama's office, though Itachi refused to let himself relax even then. He knew that he would lose all control of his body the moment he did. His arms and legs felt like lead weights.

When Hokage crossed his arms and stood in front of his desk, all Itachi's initial uncertainty returned to him, compounded by his exhaustion and the heartsick feeling of knowing he had this very night cut ties with his family, perhaps even with Sasuke.

"I wasn't sure what to do," burst from him as the bright blue eyes of his Hokage watched him closely. "I was afraid if they saw him - if they realized - I couldn't be sure what they knew. How could they not know?" Itachi was as near to babbling as he'd ever been in his life. "And after the boy -"

At that, Itachi released a shuddering breath. Minato studied the still-cloaked child, who remained unnaturally still to his way of thinking, and said, "Your resolve is like nothing I've ever witnessed, Itachi. I hope you can trust me with the reason for it."

Some of the tension drained from Itachi's shoulders. He nudged the boy, whose hand unwrapped from Itachi's neck but gripped the cloak instead.

"He's scared," Itachi explained. "The last shinobi he saw were trying to capture him. Iwa nin, surrounding him."

"And they failed?" How could grown shinobi fail to capture so small a child?

"He was…protected," said Itachi. "Then I stepped in. Come, little one. He won't hurt you. This is Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato. I told you about him."

When the boy did not respond, Minato said gently, "Welcome, child. You're in Konoha, and this is a safe place. A very safe and beautiful place." Itachi seemed eager for Minato to continue soothing the boy. "No one can hurt you here. Itachi and I will protect you."

He prayed he could keep his word. With Iwa out for blood, the child's return might be tantamount to preventing war.

"Say hello to Yondaime Hokage-sama," Itachi encouraged. "Hey, little one, the Yondaime, he'll take care of you. He…" Itachi swallowed, "he knew your mother."

Minato's eyebrows shot upwards. Oddly, his heartbeat accelerated, and a curious sense of unreality settled over him. The child murmured into Itachi's neck. It sounded like baby talk. Minato couldn't make it out. He couldn't explain to himself the sudden, desperate urge he had to see the boy.

"My arms are tired," Itachi replied. "I can't hold you anymore."

The cloaked head quirked upwards at that, and the little fist unclenched. Slowly, Itachi set the child on his feet. The boy huddled next to Itachi's leg and wrapped one arm tightly around it. Itachi tugged at the cloak, and the first spike of golden hair appeared. The boy smashed his face into Itachi's leg, but Itachi removed the hood to reveal a head of beautiful golden hair, the color of which was nearly identical to Minato's.

The Hokage wanted to reassure this boy for whom Itachi almost killed himself, but his throat didn't seem to work anymore.

The boy shifted. Minato saw faint lines, like whiskers, stretching across his cheeks. And when the boy's eyes finally opened, they were the same sky blue as his own. Minato could not stop staring. His heart pounded like mad in his chest, threatening to break his ribs, and his mouth was bone dry. The boy ducked his head again, but he said, carefully sounding out his words, "Hello, Yondaime Hokage-sama."

Minato didn't recognize his own voice when he greeted the boy in return. It was some strained, garbled thing that only posed as a voice. He must have lost his senses entirely, or at least suffered from some acute sickness that affected his vision, for his eyes told him that the blonde-haired boy was a near perfect miniature of himself. His brain worked overtime trying to find some rational conclusion, for such striking resemblance - no, it was impossible.

Somehow, with an extreme force of will, Minato tore his eyes from the boy to meet Itachi's. He searched for answers in their black depths.

Itachi shrugged helplessly and said, "His name is Uzumaki Naruto."


	2. Body and Soul

**Whelp, here I am again. I've been fretting about a scene in Sealmaster and needed a break. Plus, the response you all have given is so encouraging. Special thanks to those who reviewed! Thank you all!**

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Body and Soul

 _Uzumaki Naruto._

Minato stared into Itachi's eyes. As the young Uchiha's mouth quirked in sympathy, the name he'd spoken reverberated in Minato's mind like a tolling bell: _Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. Uzumaki - Kushina._

Minato's gaze returned to the head of golden hair and the face still buried in the side of Itachi's leg. He wore a pale orange shirt and loose brown pants. His feet were bare. Uzumaki Naruto. In that moment, there was nothing Minato wanted more than to reach for the boy and wrap his arms around him. It was a longing so intense that it almost overpowered Minato's shock-induced paralysis.

On some unconscious level the boy may have sensed it, for he raised his head and peered back, one blue-eyed gaze locked with its twin. Minato found himself marveling anew. Golden hair and bright eyes, so like his own, but his awe sprung from something deeper. Even these five years later, Kushina's features lived in his memories clear as a cloudless day. He saw them in the boy now, in his chin, his cheeks, the thick brown lashes, the round eyes. And his name - surely no one in the world but Kushina would choose that name. Naruto, the hero of Minato's favorite book and now … the name of his -

Shuddering, Minato sank to his knees and brought his eye level closer to the boy's. To Naruto's. Minato read anxiety in his stance, the way he held himself close to Itachi. Minato wanted to say something comforting to him or something wise or funny. What could he do or say to make Naruto feel safe here, with him? He tried, but shock still held him in too strong a grip. The memory of his final parting with Kushina flooded his mind's eye: how he had surprised her at the ramen stand, how he'd spirited her away from her smirking friends, their long walk, a suffocating kiss - literally suffocating since Kushina had lungs like a whale and wouldn't let him up for air - and finally the reluctant return to his duties. When he last seen her, she'd been standing at Konoha's gates, smiling.

Kushina hadn't been with child. Unless she had been. Unless she hadn't told him before she'd left for her last, ruinous mission. Unless she hadn't even known.

Minato had long tormented himself with visions of Kushina imprisoned in a dark, dank cell as manacles rubbed the skin off her wrists and some hideous shinobi peered through a narrow hatch and laughed. Sometimes she was strapped to a table as an Orochimaru-like madman experimented with her chakra chains. More often, she was dead. After all, there had never been a ransom note. There was no scenario, no gruesome fate over which Minato had not anguished. Except this.

A pregnancy. A child.

A cavalcade of questions stormed through his mind, each and every one centered around the existence of this golden-haired boy and the whereabouts of his mother. It did not bode well that her son was here and she was not. What if she had escaped with Naruto only to be recaptured? How could the child remain at large when whatever vile entity perpetrated the kidnapping would have been frantic to secure him? The one with all the answers was likely too young to understand or remember. Minato had to try.

His voice still didn't work. He closed his eyes, breathed, and tried again. "Naruto," he said, letting the name linger on his lips.

The boy blinked. He still watched Minato with curiosity but also, Minato thought, with some wariness. Naruto had been through a terrible ordeal as he and Itachi fled the Land of Earth with little food and little rest, and Minato could not begin to fathom Naruto's life before Itachi had found him. Minato must tread carefully. The last thing he wanted was to frighten the boy.

"Naruto, do you know where your mother is?"

Naruto's little blonde brows furrowed, and Minato's heart squeezed. How could so slight an expression have such power over him?

"Your okaa-san?" Minato tried again when Naruto didn't answer. "Uzumaki Kushina." How long had it been since her name passed his lips? Minato gestured to his hair and made a motion to show the length. "Red - beautiful red hair."

The boy grabbed a fistful of his own hair. His little face scrunched in a perplexed expression that was so enchanting Minato had to cross his arms to prevent himself from reaching for the boy. Then Naruto ventured, "Kura-chan?"

Heart sinking, Minato shook his head. He gestured to his eyes. "Violet eyes. Red hair. Loud laugh. Your - mother."

As though sensing Minato's disappointment, Naruto hid his face again behind Itachi, who watched the exchange with a worried frown. At a loss, Minato studied the boy and tried to figure out how to go about this. He would have to discover who this Kura-chan was and investigate any other names Naruto let slip. Kushina's survival, if she were still somewhere out there, depended on it.

 _Her survival_ \- the very possibility made him breathless. It was clear that Kushina was captured and held long enough to deliver this child. Months, then. At least. For months, Minato's pregnant fiance had lain in some filthy cell as her belly swelled with their growing child, unable to call for help, unable to break free of her bonds. They would have drugged her to keep her weak, to keep her from unleashing the bijuu she contained, but in her lucid moments, Kushina would have been desperate to assure her child's safety. She would have plotted her escape and orchestrated her rescue a thousand times in a thousand different ways. How she must have longed for Minato to break down the doors of her prison! He wondered how long she'd clung to hope before accepting that she was on her own, that he would never find her.

"Hokage-sama, forgive me," said Itachi. "I questioned him about Kushina-san when I first met him, when I first saw..."

It was the hesitation that caught Minato's attention. His eyes traveled upwards to meet Itachi's. "Saw what?"

"I didn't simply stumble over the boy - over Naruto, that is. I sensed…something, and I investigated. When I found him playing in the woods, it wasn't his hair and eyes that made me suspicious of who he really was. Not at first." Itachi swallowed. "In short, Hokage-sama, there is no doubt that Naruto is the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi."

Not far beneath his surprise, a wave of desperate sorrow swelled as Minato's subconscious made the connection, quick and ferocious as a lightning strike. It took his rational mind a moment longer to piece together the truth. This boy could not be a jinchuriki unless the Kyuubi had been extracted from the previous one.

Extraction.

Death.

 _Oh, Kushina…_

A dry sob racked his chest. He felt his face contort and let his head drop. Visions of Kushina's final moments assailed him much as they had in the past, but now there was an addition. Weakened and sprawled across the ground, bloody rents in her skin, her glorious hair ragged and tangled, the Kyuubi's crimson chakra bleeding out of her. Had she herself sealed the bijuu in their child? Even at the cusp of death, she would have been desperate to preserve his life. Even then, she would have prayed for Minato to find them, to save them. And he hadn't come. At the end, she must have hated him.

Self-loathing curdled in his gut. Minato punched the floor until a sudden inhalation made him look up. Naruto had curled around Itachi's leg and distanced himself from Minato as best as he could. Those little fists that gripped Itachi's pants had tightened, making the knuckles grow white. Minato's outburst had frightened him. Minato didn't want that. It was the last thing he wanted. To scare him. For the boy to fear him.

Minato could not give into anguish, not now, not ever. He may have failed, but Kushina had not. She'd given their child life, and somehow the care of that precious life had fallen to him.

"Itachi-kun." Minato's voice was heavy with emotion. "You said you sensed the Kyuubi?" There could be something wrong with the seal, something that would put Naruto's life in danger. Almost unconsciously, Itachi let his hand drift to Naruto's head and played with the golden hair in a reassuring gesture. Minato watched that hand and wished it were his own.

"Naruto seemed to be manipulating the chakra," Itachi told him. "It looked like wisps of flame were flickering around his body. He was playing with them. That was my impression."

Playing with the greatest and most terrible chakra in all the Five Nations? Minato could scarcely comprehend it. The Kyuubi was a bloodthirsty demon beast who would have rejoiced in ripping Kushina to shreds. Could Naruto have such incredible control? Minato itched to study the seal.

"Forgive me, Hokage-sama," said Itachi, sounding disgusted with himself. "I have so few answers for you. For a short time, I thought I should stay with Naruto where I found him and learn what I could, but the Iwa nin came. I should have removed Naruto the moment I realized who he was and returned to the town on my own without alerting the Iwa patrol. I should have -"

Itachi cut off when the Hokage rose and caught him in a hug. He felt the Hokage tremble, and his own exhausted body trembled in response. It had been a trying two days, and he had not slept one minute since he'd first caught a glimpse of the golden-haired boy playing with fire in the woods. The Hokage's hold tightened, and Itachi, feeling almost swallowed by the man's greater height and strength, had to wrestle down an instinct to draw a kunai. His head didn't quite reach the Hokage's shoulder.

"Never apologize to me, Itachi-kun. You have brought me the greatest gift, the greatest treasure -" Minato couldn't speak much more without choking up, but he didn't think it mattered at the moment. Words were frivolous things. Itachi gave the Hokage a tentative pat on his back, much as he'd done for Naruto not long ago. After a moment, Itachi cleared his throat. Displays of affection from anyone older than five had always confused him.

Minato released him and glanced down. The hug had made Naruto detach himself a little from Itachi and stare at Minato quizzically. When Minato went to his knees, Naruto hid his face again. A weak seal might assert itself in many ways, but if Naruto's body was not actively deteriorating, Minato believed an examination of the seal could wait. If the bijuu tried to break free, he could suppress it.

"Naruto," Minato began, "do you feel all right? Not sick? Is your tummy hurting?" Naruto peeked out from behind Itachi. His eyes were wide and round, so very blue. Minato tried to interpret the look Naruto gave him then. It didn't seem pained, more like a plea. "Naruto, are you hungry?"

A pause. A tiny nod.

Of _course_ , he was hungry, probably miserable with hunger. Kami-sama, Minato should have thought of that from the start. Entrusted with this mission, Minato stood. His eyes raced around his office. He scarcely recognized the room that for the past eight years he more or less ate in, slept in, and worked in. Everything looked different, as though years had gone by and he looked upon a memory. Minato shook his head, darted around his desk, and opened the drawers, searching for anything edible. The more he dug around, the more anxious he became. Food was the first thing this child had ever asked him for, and he couldn't find any!

"Hokage-sama, the lounge and kitchen," Itachi reminded him and pointed to the floor below.

"Right. Lounge. Kitchen. Good." Minato made for the door.

Naruto held his arms towards Itachi, who said, "My arms are tired. What if you -" Itachi glanced at Minato, whose heart began banging off the walls of his chest again. He gave one definitive shake of his head. Itachi changed course. "You can hold my hand and walk. It's just a short ways." So Naruto slipped his hand into the Uchiha's and let himself be led to the door.

Minato's clattering heart admonished him for the missed opportunity to hold the boy, but Naruto would refuse to let him. Why wouldn't he? Minato was a stranger to him, and furthermore, what right had he to touch the child he had failed from the moment of his birth? It was better this way, he told himself, though his empty arms did not agree.

No one roamed the corridors, nor would they at this level of the tower, not after Itachi's insistence that the ANBU remain at a distance. The absence of shinobi reminded Minato that a whole host of curious Konoha nin was waiting to hear from him. They still thought Itachi was half-mad. Surely they were likening him to Hatake Sakumo, who aborted a mission to save the lives of his team members and in the end committed suicide to escape the village's accusations. Many would call Itachi deranged, and Uchiha naysayers would privately exult in his fall from grace. How was Minato to confront them? What was he to tell them? The truth? No, not yet. The truth would cause hundreds or more pairs of gawking eyes to fixate on Naruto. The Council of Elders would salivate. The Namikaze heir. The Uzumaki heir. The jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko. If meeting Minato alone was enough to make Naruto nervous, he might fly to pieces when confronted with a whole village of well-intentioned but obnoxious shinobi and townspeople. Minato wouldn't allow it.

Iwa would force his hand, though. He couldn't keep Naruto's existence a secret, not when half the world by now knew that Itachi had stolen a child from the Land of Earth. Then there was the obvious resemblance he and Naruto shared. Suspicion would arise the moment someone caught a glimpse of Naruto, and Minato abhorred the thought of keeping him inside, away from the sun and trees. There was no quicker way to earn Naruto's distrust than to jail him. He could disguise Naruto and invent a cover story to appease the villagers, but hand in hand with that idea was the realization that Minato would have to give him into someone else's keeping. A sharp pang cut into him.

He would have to make a decision soon. Konoha teetered on the cusp of war with Iwa, and his men would be anxious to mobilize. Somewhere inside him, Minato knew a deep and abiding anger reared its ugly head at the thought of Iwa and that, if he gave it a chance, the anger would tell him to march down to Morino Ibiki and order an invasion. However, the dark anger was buried for the moment under something far more beautiful, what Minato suspected would soon emerge as full-blown joy.

Then Minato heard a noise, like a faint squeal. He glanced back at Itachi and Naruto and saw Naruto's hand over his grumbling stomach. Minato's shinobi could wait. They would have to. Naruto was hungry. In the kitchen, Minato scrounged through a pantry for anything other than junk food. Kami-sama, Konoha shinobi were an unhealthy lot. It was no wonder they were constantly bouncing off the walls with all the sugar they ingested.

Minato stopped his perusal. "Naruto, is there some food you would like?"

He saw Naruto's mouth move in a response, but Minato had grown distracted by the sight of the little boy climbing into a chair that positively dwarfed him. The table's edge rose to the level of his nose. If Minato were sitting across the table from him, all he would be able to see was Naruto's blue eyes and the wild shock of golden hair.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," he said, as he tried to reign in the squeezing of his heart. "Could you repeat that?"

"Wabbit."

Minato stared. "Rabbit?"

Naruto nodded.

"Just...plain rabbit?"

Furrowed brows, another nod.

"You've eaten rabbits before? Where do you get them?"

The furrow in his brows deepened in thought. Then his expression cleared. "In the bush," he said.

Kami-sama, how had this child lived? In the wild, catching rabbits and squirrels and - and who knew what else? Yet he spoke rather well and seemed to have basic manners. His attachment to Itachi indicated some familiarity with other humans. He wasn't a savage child. He might have lived with a hunter or trapper. _Someone_ had kept him alive for roughly four years, and Minato didn't yet know if that person deserved death or his profound gratitude.

He tried to keep his voice light and unconcerned. "Unfortunately, Naruto, I don't think we have any rabbit." But he wasn't about to give him dango to compensate for disappointing him. The first meal he served Naruto should not induce cavities, Minato decided. Kushina would not approve of that.

"Hokage-sama, I gave Naruto a ration bar during our journey," said Itachi. "It made him ill. I don't think he's accustomed to rich food or spices."

"Ah." Another twisting of his heart. Naruto was so thin. His little arms were like twigs poking out of a too-large orange shirt. How many times had Naruto grown sick with hunger while Minato feasted, ignorant to the fact that a child less than two hundred miles away needed his protection? Minato had taken care with those children of Konoha who were entrusted to him. It was his own child he neglected.

"Hokage-sama," Itachi murmured.

Minato pulled himself from that dark abyss and fixed a smile on his face. "Have you ever tried onigiri, Naruto? It's rice and seaweed." Slightly stale rice, he was frustrated to note.

Naruto's mouth hung open a little, and Minato thought with a pang that he would likely eat anything put before him, stale or not. Minato placed five rice balls on a plate in front of Naruto, who glanced between the plate and Minato before tentatively reaching for the onigiri. Minato smiled, nodded, and tried not to stare while Naruto ate. Instead, he turned back to Itachi, who stood near the table, his back straight and tall.

"Itachi-kun, forgive me. You must be hungry yourself?"

Itachi shrugged, and Minato took that to mean he was exhausted and starving and one step from fainting dead away. He ordered the Uchiha to sit at the table and began offering him options from the pantry and refrigerator.

"Ramen will be fine. Please, Hokage-sama, let me prepare it."

"No. You will sit. You will rest. You've done -" Minato's voice escaped him again. He owed Itachi so much and hardly knew how to repay him. He would start with ramen, paltry recompense though it was. In the work of a moment, Minato had the water boiling and poured it into the cup. Naruto meanwhile had finished three of his rice balls. One grain of rice stuck to his upper lip. Minato wanted to brush it off for him. Instead, he caught Naruto's attention and mimicked plucking the grain from his lip. Naruto's tiny fingers traveled to his lip, found the rice, and deposited it in his mouth. Then he offered Minato the ghost of a smile.

It bowled Minato over. He felt himself gaping and put his face in his hands to hide the outpouring of emotion so as not to alarm Naruto. Kami-sama, what was this insanity? He, Namikaze Minato, the Hokage of Konohagakure, was as jittery as a preteen in the presence of a longtime crush, and he knew from experience that composure and patience, which he lacked to the extreme right now, were the best means for victory. Keep a careful watch, wait for his chance, spot the long strands of red hair, follow the trail, defeat the enemy, win the prize. It had worked with Kushina. Why not with her son? When Minato finally reemerged from his fit, Itachi wore a knowing smirk. Naruto's attention was drawn by the steam rising from Itachi's cup ramen. All the onigiri had disappeared.

Naruto watched Itachi bring the chopsticks and noodles to his mouth again and again. Minato decided to make cup ramen for himself, and as he'd hoped, Naruto sometimes watched him - or rather, his ramen - with wide-eyed wonder.

"Are you still hungry, Naruto?" Naruto shook his head, but he didn't stop watching the steam rise. "You can try some of the broth if you like."

When Naruto nodded, Minato retrieved a measuring spoon, dipped it into the broth, and kneeled by Naruto.

"It's hot," he cautioned. "You have to blow on it to cool it off."

Naruto pursed his lips and blew. Minato held the spoon and positioned his other hand under Naruto's chin to catch any drips. He could, if he dared, stretch out his fingers and touch the boy. He restrained himself, and Naruto slurped the broth. His blue eyes grew rounder in amazement. He looked to Minato for more. Minato obliged with one more spoonful but explained that he and Itachi didn't want him to be sick again. Naruto stared at the remainder of the ramen with longing, and Minato felt pretty certain that if Itachi had not been there, smirking at him, he would have given in.

It wasn't long though before Naruto's eyes began to close. His body swayed in the chair, and he kept looking at Itachi from under his heavy lids. Itachi pointedly ignored him, which Minato took to mean that Itachi wanted _him_ to settle Naruto for the night. That meant taking him to the restroom and showing him how to use a toilet. The flushing made Naruto perk back up for a minute, and he pressed on the handle again to watch the water swirl. Then Minato led him over to a couch and found a blanket. Naruto cast another look at Itachi and curled up in a corner of the couch.

"Goodnight, Naruto."

Minato made a show of walking away so that Naruto could relax, but he kept watch from the corner of his eye as Naruto squirmed, fisted the blanket, and finally grew still. At that point, Minato slipped closer with all the stealth of the Kage that he was. Naruto's mouth had opened ever so slightly, and his chest moved up and down with slow, even breaths. Minato exhaled deeply and returned to sit at the table in a position where he could keep the sleeping Naruto in his view.

"What will you do, Hokage-sama?" Itachi asked quietly.

Minato clenched his jaw. "ANBU captured two Iwa nin. I will oversee their interrogation before I make any decisions. Is there anything else I should know?"

Itachi tilted his head. "Naruto spoke of 'Kura-chan.'"

"Yes?"

"I can't be sure, but I believe he was referring to the Kyuubi. When I asked him how he made the red chakra appear, he said Kura-chan made the pretty lights for him."

Minato blinked. Another infinity of questions to be answered, but right now, there was another he cared more about. "How did you get him to trust you?"

"Well, he wasn't scared and starving when I found him - and not nearly so shy. Quite loud, in fact. I showed him my own fire jutsu and he was suitably impressed."

Jutsu. _That_ Minato could handle. He had a feeling he would be bribing Naruto with food and jutsus for some time to come.

Silence fell over them. Itachi finished his ramen, and Minato tried to sort through his rampant thoughts and emotions and work them into a semblance of order so that he could tend to them in a systematic fashion. He felt utterly worn and strung out, yet an unrepentant lightness dizzied him.

"Itachi-kun, I want to give you another mission."

Itachi straightened and hid his weariness to the best of his ability. So what if his muscles had begun to cramp and his knee ached like an old man's? So what if his mind was swimming in a sea of fatigue? He had admired the Yondaime Hokage for many years and would sooner cut off his hand than disappoint him.

"Sleep here tonight. There's a futon in storage." Minato had to leave to deal with the fallout from Iwa, to attempt some explanation for Konoha's sake. "I would prefer that Naruto - if he wakes up, he shouldn't be alone."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato wandered towards the couch. Naruto slept on his side and had one fist wrapped up in the blanket and curled under his chin. Minato could hear his faint breathing and felt his own heart lurching in response. A decision must be made for Naruto's protection. He returned to the idea of a henge. He could make Naruto's hair dark brown and his eyes the palest violet, devoid of pupils. With Hiashi's help, they could pass off Naruto as a Hyuuga born out of wedlock. Itachi's role in the scheme would fit. He'd recognized the Byakugan and realized an invaluable bloodline was at risk of being appropriated by a foreign nation. Konoha would laud his swift action, and the story would buy Minato time to investigate. Most importantly, Naruto would have an entire clan - a powerful one - as his guardians on high alert for any retaliatory measures from Iwa, and behind clan walls, few nosy shinobi and villagers could reach him. It was a good plan.

Minato hated it.

Was it selfish that _he_ wanted to care for Naruto, to dry his tears if he cried, and comfort him if he grew afraid? Was it selfish that _he_ wanted to show Naruto the village that would become his home and teach him to throw his first kunai? He was selfish to the core, Minato feared, for he almost reveled in the thought of Iwa nin coming for Naruto, reveled in the thought of tearing apart anyone who dared take Naruto from him. They had lost four years together. They would not lose any more.

Minato bent down. His hand hovered over Naruto's golden locks for one agonizing moment, but Minato withdrew it before touching him. Straightening, he retrieved the futon for Itachi and took a final long look at Naruto.

... ... ...

The Yondaime Hokage closed the door to the shinobi lounge behind him and rested his forehead against the dark wood. He breathed slowly and deeply. That was supposed to help with nerves, wasn't it? The hell it did. Minato's whole body was still trembling, but he couldn't afford to indulge himself. Konoha was waiting, and the Hokage had a multitude of tasks to fulfill before he could dream of returning to watch over Naruto. Eyeing the solid door, Minato found it insufficient as a deterrent to passing shinobi. He envisioned a complex sealing mechanism to lock Naruto and Itachi inside, to prevent any curious eyes from falling upon them, and got started on it right away.

A full fifteen minutes later, he finished off the last of the seals. It was good work he'd done. Very intricate, encompassing the whole of the room, and keyed only to himself. With a few hours perhaps, Jiraiya might manage to crack it, but to anyone else, entry into this sacred room was a lost cause. Minato nodded in satisfaction and set off at a brisk pace. The sooner he finished his duties as Hokage, the sooner he could begin his responsibilities as a parent. No sooner had he reached the closest set of stairs than Minato grew nauseous. He shifted from one foot to another, stared dolefully down the stairwell, and suddenly streaked like a lightning bolt back to the door.

The seals took three minutes of rapid-fire work to unlock. He burst back inside the room, and his gaze zeroed in on the little blonde sleeping peacefully on the couch. Only then could Minato breathe again. Only then did the nausea recede. Itachi hadn't yet managed to fall asleep on the futon. Upon the Hokage's panicked entrance, Itachi smirked and rolled over.

Beside the sleeping boy, Minato bent down and, hesitating, touched one lock of golden hair. Surprisingly soft. He ran it through his fingers. Unable to resist, he stroked Naruto's cheek, a quick, gentle touch that made his whole hand tingle. Then he brought his fingers to his lips and stared down at the golden-haired boy. He could not save Kushina. He would not fail Naruto. Body and soul, Minato lay claim to this child. His son.


	3. Nightmare Scenarios

**This story has infected my mind! I can't seem to work on anything else. Also, no one specifically asked this, but I thought I'd mention that Ibiki is the ANBU commander and not the head of T &I (at least not yet) because I wanted a familiar face in this role. Besides, this is like eight years before the start of the manga, so it might even be true. Who knows?**

 **Long chapter here, folks. Hope you like it!**

* * *

Nightmare Scenarios

Minato relocked the seals around the door beyond which Itachi and his son - _his son!_ \- slept. It would undoubtedly be hours before they awoke, and he needed every minute of that time to return Konoha to some semblance of order. He expected an elite jounin acting as courier to arrive from Iwa by morning, demanding the return of their captured shinobi and an explanation for the dead ones. To offer the courier no concessions in the face of overwhelming evidence was an act of aggression. To imprison and interrogate the courier - as Minato fully intended - was an act of war. First he must learn all he could from those Iwa nin who were captured as they pursued Itachi into the Land of Fire.

Despite the urgency, Minato had the damndest time walking away from the room that held his son. A cord had strung itself around his heart, and the waxing distance between himself and Naruto tightened the knot to a painful degree. Each jerky step towards the end of the hallway felt like a betrayal. He paused. One more look, he promised himself. Only one. Just to make sure he's still there. But he held himself back. Yes, there was a cord around his heart, but the weight of responsibility in the guise of heavy chains tugged him to where his men awaited him. He ran the risk of being torn in two. It was only when he convinced himself that Naruto's future in Konoha depended on his actions in the next few hours - and not his current state of flustered indecision - that the cord and chains gave him enough slack to let him breathe. With that breathing room, Minato stood before the door again and affixed a Hiraishin seal to the knob before turning on his heel. Finally on the move, he set a determined pace.

… … …

Over the years, Morino Ibiki had cultivated a powerful persona built primarily on the qualities of Composure and Intimidation. The latter he usually reserved for foreign shinobi and dignitaries. However, he was careful to inject Intimidation into the occasional interaction with his underlings, as well. The ANBU were elite, and sometimes, that knowledge of superiority developed into seeds of arrogance. Ibiki saw it as his duty to uproot such weeds in their budding phase. A healthy dose of fear for their commander went a long way towards that end. The Composure he maintained was integral to his aura of Intimidation and therefore the bedrock of his persona, which had bought him universal respect from those who received his calm observations in the heat of battle and terror from those who had the misfortune to sit across from him during an interrogation. He would never disgrace himself by engaging in wild outbursts like many of his excitable comrades seemed to enjoy. His Composure was rarely tested, for it was no thin veneer but a deep well formed after years of seeing the best and worst of shinobi-kind.

Furthermore, Ibiki recognized his Keen Insight into the human mind as a valuable asset. As ANBU commander, he must realize when the shinobi under his command had reached their limit, for assassinations, infiltrations, and extended surveillance missions could weaken even the heartiest spirit over time. He would scorn the notion of mollycoddling the ANBU, but maintaining their effectiveness meant acknowledging their humanity. For these and many other reasons, Ibiki was good at his job.

To encounter a situation that broke his Composure, slighted his aura of Intimidation, and undermined his Keen Insight rankled greatly, but the truth was that Uchiha Itachi's actions had thrown him for a loop. Ibiki had every desire to correct the failing. So it was with considerable frustration that he watched the windows of Hokage Tower for any signs of the Hokage's confrontation with the Uchiha coming to a close.

He had expected swift judgement from the Hokage and a quick rallying of their forces to meet any retribution from Iwa. He had expected a brief conference between the Hokage and Itachi followed by the latter's arrest. Such insubordination could not go unanswered. What he did not expect was to be kept waiting outside the Hokage Tower for well over an hour while a dozen jounin hopped around him like hyperactive rabbits, and they weren't the only ones. The night was dark, but the village was abuzz with activity.

Perhaps he was unfair, Ibiki allowed. In truth, the jounin did not "hop" per se, but the intermittent shifting and twitching from men and women in whom considerable discipline had been instilled would be much like hopping from a civilian. Were they his own ANBU, Ibiki would have issued a sharp reprimand. He was tempted to do so regardless, but the presence of convulsing clan heads and council members caused him to hold his tongue. Well, not "convulsing" per se, but certainly twitchy. One would think they would set a better example.

Inuzuka Tsume paced back and forth, wearing a path in the ground from a tree by the tower all the way to the street. Her chest kept rumbling in a growl, and her ninken Kuromaru kept eyeing various jounin as though they were sacks of meat. Hyuuga Hiashi was another man who understood the value of Composure. However, in the Hyuuga's case, it had come to resemble sullenness with his arms crossed and jaw set belligerently. Uchiha Fugaku was conspicuously absent, but after the confrontation with his elder son, Ibiki would be impressed if it only took an hour for the man to regain command of himself and crawl out of the hole his intractable parenting had dug him.

Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chouza spoke in hushed tones and gesticulated. Aburame Shibi stood apart from them, but a faint buzzing that Ibiki recognized as the hum of insect wings emitted from his body. Nara Shikaku had given up after twenty minutes of waiting and had wandered back to his home yawning widely. Councilors Homura and Koharu had been quite put out to be denied entry into Hokage Tower, but Ibiki had orders from the Yondaime that none were to enter until he exited. The two fretted mightily near the door, and as the long minutes stretched, Ibiki admitted to some of their impatience. _Composure_ , he reminded himself.

In the Hokage's absence, Ibiki had pushed the limits of his authority by increasing ANBU patrolling within Konoha itself, wary of petty confrontations between rabble rousers and the Uchiha, who were widely held culpable for the turmoil this very evening. In the current climate of uncertainty, infractions could incite greater strife. Ibiki did what he could, but some orders only the Hokage could give.

When the Yondaime Hokage appeared, an audible sigh of relief went up from the small crowd. He blew right past the two yammering councillors and strode with purpose towards the small gathering of clan heads and jounin, which included Ibiki. The jounin straightened at the approach of their leader. Ibiki had no such need. His posture had remained rim-rod straight throughout the ordeal. He awaited orders.

Namikaze Minato addressed them. "At great risk to himself, Captain Uchiha has brought us valuable intelligence. For reasons that will in time be made known to you, that intelligence will remain strictly classified. I ask for your patience and understanding."

Demanded it in truth, thought Ibiki. The Hokage gave no one any choice in the matter.

"What is the status of the captured Iwa nin?" He directed the question to Inoichi-san.

"En route to T&I, Hokage-sama," Inoichi replied.

The Yondaime nodded towards Ibiki. "Any activity at the border?"

Ibiki cleared his throat. "Three Iwa squads did cross the border but maintained an acceptable buffer zone with our nearest unit. They still have considerable fear of the Yellow Flash." _That_ he observed with considerable satisfaction. The Hokage's fearsome reputation was a source of national pride. "We've heard their demands for the return of the child and recompense for their fallen comrades, but it was not an official demand from the Tsuchikage, only the angry chatter of the impotent."

At the mention of the child, curious eyes honed in on the Hokage's expression. He gave a short nod. When he next spoke, they all leaned in eagerly, only to be disappointed. "Ibiki-san, Inoichi-san and I will interrogate the Iwa nin and have more information for you within the hour. As for the rest of you -"

Thoroughly put out by the young Hokage's reticence, Councilman Homura interrupted, "What of the violation of Uchiha Itachi's mission directives?"

"Appropriate measures shall be taken," the Hokage assured, but it was unlike him to be so vague. Did he not remember the respect due to his elders?

Homura frowned. "In these circumstances, we must not hand him over to the Konoha Police."

"No," the Hokage agreed. "In any case, he is sleeping and is not to be disturbed." He shot a quick look behind him. His expression...softened? Several people exchanged mystified glances.

When Councilwoman Koharu spoke, there was an edge to her voice, "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but is his continued freedom wise? I believe it is essential that we demonstrate to Iwa that we do not condone this kidnapping."

Unless we do, thought Ibiki, who had spent the time waiting on the Hokage working through a few scenarios that might possibly justify the Uchiha's total repudiation of his training and his orders. Given the length of the interview, it seemed less and less likely the Uchiha had abandoned reason and given into some mad flight of fancy. Ibiki believed the simplest scenario was that he'd found a prominent Konoha bloodline in the Land of Earth. A troubling thought, but Ibiki was not convinced such an occasion justified the Uchiha's theatrics, considering the uproar and political fallout. There were other ways to secure kekkei genkai.

There was also the sensitive location to take into account. No shinobi or villager in Konoha with a single firing neuron could fail to realize the significance of the border between Earth and Grass. Was it possible, even remotely possible, that so young a child had knowledge of the fate of Uzumaki Kushina?

"In the case of an attack," said Homura, "we must retain deniability as to the root of his actions. Even if an arrest does not stand, it will buy time and room to negotiate."

"An attack," Hokage-sama repeated. He cast a swift glance at the tower. Why did the Yondaime suddenly look uncertain? Before Itachi even re-entered the Land of Fire, Konoha had begun bolstering her defenses. On Hokage-sama's orders, a score of reserves patrolled within a radius of five miles from the village. It would take Iwa an absolute minimum of six hours to amass a force great enough to pose a threat, unless they had prepared in advance, and no intelligence had suggested such a build up. The Yondaime knew this, so why the sudden restlessness? Ibiki hoped to put some of it at ease.

"I increased ANBU presence within the village, Hokage-sama," he said. "While internal conflict and the possibility of Iwa sleeper nin must not be overlooked, my men have Konoha's security well in hand."

Inuzuka Tsume said, "The motive for such an assault is hazy at best. It is hard to imagine the Tsuchikage being eager to have the Yellow Flash -" but she trailed off, and it was clear why. Was Hokage-sama even listening? His blue eyes kept glancing behind them, towards the tower, and for a moment he seemed as fretful as the councillors.

Then Hokage-sama said, "I want a guard around the tower, Ibiki-san. Set up a perimeter. As you say, we must assume Iwa has perpetrated this villainy and intends to instigate greater aggressions."

That was not _quite_ what he had said. Chouza and Inoichi both looked to the other for an explanation and came up empty. So Ibiki was not alone in his confusion. Nevertheless, he clipped off quick commands to his lieutenant, who signaled to ANBU in the distance.

The Yondaime issued another directive: "Furthermore, the lounge in Hokage Tower is off-limits to everyone."

Some blinking and outright stares greeted the order. The Hokage's face exuded solemnity, blue eyes unwavering.

"Which lounge, Hokage-sama?" ventured a jounin. The Hokage turned his eagle-eyed gaze on him, and the hapless shinobi flinched. "Gomenasai, Hokage-sama!"

"Which lounge?" he repeated slowly, as though the man were hopelessly daft.

"There are - _gomenasai!_ \- there are three in the tower."

The Hokage's expression cleared. "They are all off-limits." Best to prevent confusion. Everyone flinched when the Hokage returned and motioned to the tower. "In addition, no one with clearance under S class -" He clicked his tongue. "Never mind. No one at all goes inside until I return."

A dismayed Ibiki wondered if the Uchiha had transmitted a virus of insanity to the Hokage. "And the shinobi still inside?" he hazarded.

The Hokage turned to him wearing a flustered expression. Ibiki refrained from an act so untoward as sighing - _Composure!_ \- and said to his lieutenant, "Sound the alarm to evacuate."

"No! No alarm. Just get them out."

"How, Hokage-sama?" Yes, Ibiki's question was petulant. _Petulant_. Now the Hokage looked at him as though he were the idiot. "You gave orders that no one was to enter," Ibiki reminded him.

The Hokage snapped his fingers in realization and suddenly shot back inside. Within a minutes, four chunin stumbled out of Hokage Tower one by one, looking bewildered and anxious and clutching their paperwork for dear life, as a golden streak struck up a wind with its rapid movements and deposited a few other helpless administrators on the ground in quick succession.

"A perimeter, Ibiki-san," said the Hokage when he returned. "I entrust this to you. If a courier from Iwa arrives, hear his demands but … detain him if he tries to leave the village. Hiashi-san, please return to the tower at, say, mid-morning. I need to speak with you privately. Inoichi-san, come with me. The rest of you might as well take these next few hours to sleep."

Eyes bulged at the litany of orders. The whole of this briefing was erratic, and the decision to detain the courier was downright alarming. For one moment, Ibiki entertained the notion that Uchiha Itachi had placed the Hokage under a genjutsu, but he shook the suspicion from his mind. A consummate soldier, he put in faith in the Yondaime Hokage; a more able leader he could not have hoped for. He would speculate no more.

Hokage-sama left abruptly, forcing to Inoichi to hurry along in his wake. The councillors and remaining clan heads stared after them. A babble broke out.

"What was that?"

"Arresting the courier? He cannot be serious. It's an act of war! He needs support from the Council before taking such unilateral action."

"To condone the Uchiha's impropriety, without consulting with the Council -"

"We should consider this intelligence before we make judgements," said Chouza-san, more at ease than his companions. "Once Hokage-sama reveals it to us -"

"What intelligence can account for this madness? Hokage-sama is too lenient. He's always had a soft spot for the boy."

"And where is Fugaku? He must condemn his son's actions with all haste."

"What can he want with you, Hiashi?" demanded Tsume.

Heads turned to the Hyuuga, who appeared as lost as the rest of them. "As to that, I have no insight to offer."

"Fugaku spoke the truth," said Homura in a hesitant tone. It was so uncharacteristic that it drew all their attention. "Itachi's skill in genjutsu is unparalleled, especially now that Uchiha Shisui is dead. There have been rumors…"

The rest of the suspicion went unspoken, but a cloud of unease hung over the small group. Ibiki was ashamed to have his own thought hinted at.

"Hiashi," said Koharu, "with your Byakugan, you could see whether or not there is a disruption in the Hokage's chakra."

The Hyuuga stiffened. "I admit to confusion and some alarm. However, spying on the Yondaime is hardly called for."

"It's not spying if your sight happens to pass over the Hokage while your Byakugan is activated."

"A not-so-subtle distinction, Koharu-san." Hiashi's voice was chilly. "In any case, he would sense my probing."

"If you will not confirm the absence of genjutsu, then we must learn this intelligence for ourselves. If it is so very damning, the Hokage will have the Council's full support."

Ibiki listened to the prattle with growing irritation. Nothing the Yondaime had ordered would undermine Konoha's security, so there was no justification to usurp his orders. Granted, the Hokage seemed out of sorts, but by his estimation, the councillors were merely peeved at being left in the dark. Composure had returned to him. A good dose of Intimidation would no go awry. After all, arrogance was not limited to elite jounin.

He spoke then. "How do you plan to obtain that intelligence, Councilwoman Koharu?" The group turned to him. Planted as he was between them and Hokage Tower, the implication was clear. Ibiki smiled.

… … …

That could have gone better, Minato concluded as he strode into the headquarters of the Torture and Interrogation Division. When he'd left Hokage Tower and faced the clan heads and councillors, his thoughts had already turned towards the interrogations; his mental energies - those that were not actively reliving the precious few memories he had of his son - focused on obtaining whatever information the Iwa nin had to offer. It was not his typical role. Inoichi and Ibiki were Konoha's best interrogators, but when facing an Iwa nin, Minato had something they did not: the full weight of a terrifying reputation. He would bring every bit of it to bear. To ascertain the truth, there was nothing he would not do.

Inside, Inoichi procured a folder from one of his men. "Their processing is complete, Hokage-sama," said Inoichi. He passed the folder to Minato, who scanned over the information. They walked to the door behind which the first shinobi was chained to a chair. The Hokage paused with his hand against the door. He bowed his head and breathed deeply.

"Inoichi-san, I am...very angry," he confessed. "Is it foolish for me to lead the interrogation?"

Inoichi hid his surprise. He was itching with curiosity to know what intelligence Uchiha Itachi had revealed, but he did not press. "Anger can be a useful tool, Hokage-sama. As long as you channel it. As long as you don't lose control."

"Right. Thank you."

Minato strode inside, his Hokage cloak fluttering behind him, and watched the captured shinobi's eyes grow wide before he caught himself. Inoichi closed the door behind them.

"I see you know who I am," said Minato in a conversational tone. "Good. That saves time. I will henceforth assume you know my reputation, my abilities, and my personal dislike of the Tsuchikage, who is a miserly old bastard with a few skillful jutsus and no head for tactics."

The faintest clenching of the shinobi's jaw showed his anger, but like a proper shinobi, he had determined on silence. It was Minato's first task to break it. He sat down across from the man. Brown hair, round face, no distinctive markings, bandaged arm.

"You, I already know," said Minato. "Goda Eiji, jounin of Iwagakure with familial ties to the Kamizuru clan, the once renown beekeepers." The remark should sting. The more adept Aburames had vanquished the Kamizurus during the time of the Nidaime Hokage. "You've no exceptional accomplishments to your name, but your wife is Hamada Aiko, who was recently promoted to squad leader. I congratulate you."

Minato paused as though offering him a chance to speak out of politeness. Gouda, of course, did not, but the more noticeable clenching of his jaw was acceptable to Minato. Konoha's intelligence with respect to Iwa's shinobi ranks was thorough. He had seen to that.

He leaned forward. "My presence alone should alert you as to the seriousness of Iwa's alleged crimes. You have the opportunity to account for them and convince me I am mistaken. You might perhaps prevent the destruction of your village. Goda-san, tell me about the boy."

Goda's eyebrow twitched. When he still did not speak, Minato nodded in apparent acceptance of his silence.

"My men in the Land of Grass are negotiating for access through their lands, but Kusagakure will be amenable, I have no doubt. We will secure the Kannabi Bridge - ah, I see you understand my particular interest in the bridge. I did lose a precious student there. The bridge was necessary to your supply route in your last invasion - last failed invasion," he added mildly. "You had a thousand men, and I was simply protecting the sovereignty of my homeland when I struck them down. Imagine how much worse it will go for you when I actually _want_ to crush Iwa."

At that, Goda's twitching traveled from his brow to his mouth. The man had a lot he wanted to say, Minato believed. Minato looked for calm within himself and found it rapidly dissolving. From the moment he'd stepped into the room, he'd imagined this man Goda prying a terrified Naruto from Itachi's corpse and making off with him. Or perhaps he would simply have killed Naruto and disposed of the evidence. Minato would never have met his son, would never have gazed into his face and seen Kushina's. He would never have witnessed Naruto's fascination with rising steam from ramen broth, would never have seen that faint smile. He would never have known he even had a son. Unforgivable.

"Suffice it to say, the Land of Grass is our staunch ally in this endeavor. Within two days, Konoha will launch an attack on your stronghold at Yosuga Pass. This will happen, Goda-san. You will not be aware of much of it, of course. You will be locked away in a dark cell, dependent on the scraps of information we choose to feed you. For instance, when we capture the Earth daimyo, when Iwa's walls are breached, when I take the Tsuchikage's head."

Minato's blue eyes brimmed with resolve, and the silence quivered with the force of his anger. This time, he simply waited.

"You can't be serious." Goda's voice was scarcely more than a croak.

Minato quirked a brow. "Not serious? I assure you I am. I once promised the Tsuchikage to rain fire on his village. Only one thing can stop me, and it is within your -"

"We did not kidnap your accursed jinchuriki!"

Minato's lips tightened, but he continued, "It is within your power to stop the coming war and save Iwagakure from terrible suffering. Tell me about the boy."

"You're insane!" Goda's eyes looked wild, and he strained against his bonds. "Your men violated Iwa's sovereignty! Your men slaughtered an Iwa team with no provocation!"

"My men?" Minato asked, tilting his head in thought. "Ah, I think you mean 'my man.' The one who defeated the Iwa team was a single member of ANBU, who is in fact more than half your age."

Goda stared. "That's a lie," he whispered.

"Konoha is full of talent. My shinobi has done us all a great service."

"He - he kidnapped a child! A scared, innocent child whose family awaits his return!"

" _His family?_ "

Goda's mouth dropped open, and he couldn't quite manage to snap it close. The air crackled like lightning. The sheer amount of killing intent pressed upon his spirit like the weight of ten thousand stones. He gasped. The monster's wild blonde hair blurred, and the blue eyes grew and grew until they were all he could see. Feeling faint, Goda wondered if he'd been put under genjutsu. His head lolled about, feeling loose upon his shoulders.

"Tell me about them. Tell me about his _family_."

"Don't...know. Never…ah…never saw them."

"Did he have a mother? A brother." He paused. "A _father_?"

"I don't...know. Didn't see..."

"Tell me what you know about the boy."

"Child...of interest. That's all - the report - said. Child of interest."

"When did the boy become 'of interest'?"

"Don't…know. Got the report, hurried. Dead...all dead."

"Who labeled the child 'of interest'?"

"Suppose it was...Hirota. Don't know."

"Where is Hirota?"

"Dead."

"Who were the others who died?"

"Nakamura, Shibata….Takano."

Goda's head dropped to his chest, and his vision darkened. Then the pressure that was forcing him under began to withdraw. Goda blinked wearily, and he began to return to his senses. He remembered where he was and yanked his head back up. Before him, the blue eyes of the Yellow Flash bored into him. He realized that killing intent alone had hypnotized him.

" _Bakemono_ ," he whispered.

"That's right," the Yellow Flash agreed. "Now tell me. Had you ever heard of the boy before your last mission?"

"No." He answered before he realized what he was doing.

"What is his name?"

"I don't know. We were never told. We responded to a call for backup. A Konoha nin kidnapped a child of interest. Kill the shinobi. Capture the child. That's all I know, I swear."

The Yellow Flash straightened. Goda found it hard to hold his gaze, so piercing were those blue eyes. He found it harder to look away from them.

"I believe you have been truthful with me, Goda-san, so I will be honest with you. The boy is the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko."

Alert as he was now, the thrum of panic shook his whole body. He heard an audible inhalation from the other shinobi in the room, the other blonde Goda had completely forgotten about.

"You can understand, I hope, why your imprisonment is necessary," said the Yellow Flash. "In time, Yamanaka-san will speak with you again. Until then, you will not be harmed. You will be given food and water. I hope for your sake this is the last time we meet."

The Yellow Flash turned his back to Goda. He was leaving. He would invade. He would -

"Wait!"

He paused, tilted his head back to glance at him.

"Wait," Goda said, "I can - I will tell you anything because - because Iwa has nothing to do with this! It makes no sense! We did not kidnap Uzumaki Kushina! We did not extract the Kyuubi! We did not seal it within a child whom we then did not cart to the border to leave without protection! I mean - it makes no sense!"

The Yellow Flash dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Goda-san, war is on the horizon."

Goda cringed.

"I will not stop until I have answers, but...I am not convinced that Iwa is entirely to blame. If that is the case, you will be released unharmed and with a sincere apology. I thank you for your cooperation."

The Yellow Flash left the room. The other blonde followed him, and suddenly there was a void of energy. A powerful void that made his hair raise and skin prickle. It was some minutes before Goda realized that the prickling was simply the return of feeling to his limbs. In the stillness, Goda breathed heavily.

… … …

The moment the door closed, separating them from the Iwa nin, Inoichi rounded on the Hokage. "Is it true, Hokage-sama? Is the Kyuubi - of course, it is. You would never - well, everything becomes clear now." Inoichi ran a hand through his hair and opened his mouth to ask another question. Then he caught a glimpse of the Hokage's face and snapped his mouth closed.

Minato walked a few paces down the hallway before he let himself lean against the wall. He thumped his fist against it. Inoichi hovered nearby, surely brimming with questions, but Minato had so few answers. He needed to think, but he couldn't seem to even put one foot in front of the other, let alone organize his thoughts. He just leaned against the wall and waited for...something. A sign perhaps.

Several minutes later, as though from a distance, he heard Inoichi's voice. "What are you thinking, Hokage-sama?"

As ashen and weary as the Hokage appeared, Inoichi didn't think he would answer. When he did, the Hokage's voice was quiet. "I am wondering if the boy has a family. I'm wondering if we have ripped a child from the only family he has ever known and thrown him into the middle of a conflict he cannot understand."

"It is a terrible thought, Hokage-sama," he said. "But the Kyuubi belongs in Konoha. Uchiha Itachi is a hero."

Minato breathed out. "Inoichi-san, the return of the Kyuubi is, as of this moment, an S-class secret. Three people know the truth - you, me, and Itachi-kun. It will stay that way until I deem otherwise."

"And the jinchuriki?"

"I don't believe the boy has any real awareness of what he carries." _Kura-chan_ , he thought a little desperately. "What is your analysis of our prisoner?"

"He is terrified, Hokage-sama, and hiding nothing."

Minato wanted - _wanted_ \- Iwa to be guilty, and the testimony of one low-level jounin was nowhere close to dispelling the allegation. However, it did leave Minato with the great discomfort of knowing that, if he invaded Iwa, he would be killing a great many shinobi who had no knowledge of Kushina's kidnapping or of Naruto's existence. A plot of this clandestine nature would necessarily be confined to a select few, a powerful few. He returned to an old idea: that it was not Iwa under the Tsuchikage's command but a faction within Iwa that kidnapped Kushina. A warmongering faction with a leader who kept to the shadows, not unlike Danzo and Root.

"Has intelligence suggested any resurgence of Chasm?"

"We crushed them to a fine powder in the last war, Hokage-sama."

"Revenge is a powerful motivator."

"We considered the possibility five years ago. Our inquiries revealed no such plot as this. There is one known surviving member, and he had not budged from a cabin in the woods since the war, and yes, we raided the cabin when -" He hesitated, and Minato mentally supplied the remaining words: _when Kushina went missing._

Who then? What village? What faction? Every moment they remained at large was a moment they searched for Naruto, for it was impossible that they did not desire the Kyuubi. They would try to take Naruto as they had taken Kushina. They would extract the Kyuubi or use Naruto -

Minato's eyes widened. Maybe Kushina had not escaped and sealed the bijuu into their child. Maybe the villains who kidnapped her had. Naruto carried her Uzumaki blood and more than likely her chakra reserves, as well. Uzumakis were ideal containers for the bijuu, so what if this nefarious group intended to raise Naruto as jinchuriki, to train him and use him a weapon? Minato grimaced and shook his head, but the idea pulled him in more deeply. He envisioned an adult Naruto, a younger version of himself really, charging towards Konoha with the dreadful crimson chakra of the Kyuubi pouring from his coils. As Hokage, Minato would have confronted the threat to defend the village. He would have launched himself into battle. Then he would have seen the resemblance between them, so powerful and shocking. He would have made the connection as he had in his office even before Itachi had spoken Naruto's name. In that instant, Minato would have hesitated. From there, he would have either died or been forced to kill his son.

Minato shuddered. It was speculation, he told himself. Pure speculation, no more than an unsubstantiated theory. Besides, it couldn't come true now. His son was here in Konoha. He was innocent and pure. Four years old. Too skinny. Big blue eyes. Golden blonde hair. Captivated by rising steam. The memory made Minato smile.

Standing straight again, he bit his thumb, " _Kuchiyose no jutsu._ "

A red and blue toad named Kosuke popped out from a small white cloud at their feet. He yawned widely and rubbed an eye. "Minato-kun, what's -" _yawn_ "- going on?"

"I need Jiraiya-sensei," he told the toad. "It's urgent. I need him as soon as possible and no later than noon. Tell him to bring Tsunade-san."

Kosuke managed somehow to look sheepish. "Er, he's been in Hakone. Hot springs, you know. Urgent means one thing to you, Minato-kun, and another thing to him. Then there's Tsunade-hime. She'll throw a fit. He'll throw a fit. Better to expect them later."

"Tell them it concerns Kushina."

The toad's eyes grew impossibly large. Fully awake now, he saluted Minato and disappeared with a pop. Minato turned to Inoichi. "I leave the other Iwa nin to you," he said. "I have what I need."

Inoichi nodded. "Hokage-sama, if you ever get tired of the hat or want a demotion, I hope you will apply for a position with T&I."

Minato offered him a faint smile, made a hand sign, and disappeared.

… … …

He was a coward for using the Hiraishin to avoid the councillors and clan leaders, but Minato did so unrepentantly. He stood before the door to the lounge in Hokage Tower and, after checking that they were intact, tore his gaze from the seals. Not yet. He could not be with Naruto yet. His duties for the night had not ended. Normally, he could summon one of his ANBU bodyguards with a simple hand signal and have them relay the necessary information to Ibiki, but Minato had ditched Genma and the rest when Itachi had arrived in Konoha, much to their chagrin.

In his office, he peeked out the window and studied the area around the tower for signs of an ambush, but the land was clear. Blessedly clear. He could see that Ibiki had set up a temporary command post on the rooftop of a nearby building. Minato would bet his hat he had Ibiki to thank for absence of nattering councillors. Good man. Sadistic for sure, but at the core, a good man.

Minato slid open a window and in the blink of an eye stood before Ibiki. The ANBU commander's face showed no surprise. "Welcome back, Hokage-sama. I hope you were successful."

There was no hint of a question in his voice. Of course the Hokage was successful.

"Thank you for your diligence, Ibiki-san. Any movement from Iwa?"

"Negative, Hokage-sama. I expect the courier by dawn. If he does not arrive, I expect to learn that Iwa has begun to mobilize."

That would be the true test, wouldn't it? Near instantaneous mobilization without following protocols of diplomacy would almost confirm guilt. Having been found out, the Tsuchikage would fear retribution. As he should. Then again, Minato thought sourly, the lack of a courier could also indicate a firm belief in Konoha's aggression, and for the first time that evening, he wondered if the Tsuchikage was as baffled by the kidnapping as he had been.

Minato set his jaw against that line of reasoning. These were the same thoughts that had stopped him from invading five years ago, and maybe, just maybe, if he had acted decisively back then, he would have found Kushina and Naruto, battered and bruised but safe. His heart clenched for what might have been. Now, the only thing he knew for certain was that his family had been targeted, that someone sought to destroy him and perhaps destroy Konoha through him. This was a battle he could not fight alone.

"Ibiki-san, I have no wish to cripple your understanding by withholding intelligence. What I am about to tell you is an S-class secret known only to me, Itachi, Inoichi. I want this circle to remain closed."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

"In the Land of Earth, Itachi-kun found the Kyuubi no Yoko sealed into the child he then spirited away. The jinchuriki is now asleep in the lounge along with Itachi."

Ibiki simply nodded. Inwardly, he felt some surprise, for how earth could Iwa be so careless that they lost a stolen bijuu? Rock-headed numbskulls. He would enjoy breaking them. Then he frowned as the truth settled into his marrow. Truly, how could Iwa - or anyone for that matter - be so brazenly careless?

Minato hesitated. "I am rescinding the order to detain the courier, but if he tries to make his demands to anyone but me, make it clear to him that I want to speak to him. As for the watch on Hokage Tower, you can dissolve it now."

Ibiki raised his arm and made a fist. A blurred streak coalesced into a brown-haired, panda-masked ANBU bodyguard who knelt at Minato's feet. "Hokage-sama," he said. He bowed his head respectfully. "Leaving me for the Uchiha brat was a shitty thing to do. Don't you know I've got a heart? You broke it."

"Genma," said Minato. "I'll be staying in my office tonight - or rather, the couch in the lounge. You can find me there if you need me." He turned towards the tower, but Ibiki stopped him.

"Hokage-sama," said Ibiki. "You can be cavalier about your own safety. Are you sure, quite sure..." He glanced at the masked Genma and said no more. The implication was clear anyways.

"What's this now?" asked Genma, looking between them. He twirled a senbon in his fingers. It seemed like an idle habit - and when his mask was off, the senbon would be in his mouth instead - but that deadly senbon was always poised to protect the Hokage.

"Ibiki is wondering if our new jinchuriki poses a threat to me," said Minato.

"Our new _what_?"

"As to that, Ibiki-san, I feel very confident he does not."

"As you say, Hokage-sama, but the boy has not been searched and questioned as per protocol."

"Wait - wait - our _what_?"

"And his seal has not been examined, unless you did that yourself?"

"Oi! Would one of you obnoxious buggers explain to me -"

"Hokage-sama, think of Nohara Rin."

And Minato did. He remembered his student, a proud kunoichi, brimming with talent, lively in spirit and with boundless compassion. During the last war, Kiri nin had sealed the Sanbi into her and implanted a cursed seal on her heart that would activate within Konoha's walls, releasing the full might of the bijuu to prey on innocent villagers. The devastation the Sanbi could have wreaked, especially with so many shinobi still on the battlefield and unable to contain the threat to Konoha… Rin had saved a great many lives when she impaled herself on Kakashi's Raikiri.

"If this boy was meant to be a weapon - a bomb inside Konoha -"

Kami-sama, it was the perfect plot, wasn't it? Ibiki didn't know the half of it. A child, Minato's son, delivered into the arms of his father, who never once imagined so terrible a fate, not while he was looking into those beautiful blue eyes. Naruto, encased in bijuu chakra, bearing the eyes of a demon. Minato's heart quailed. It hadn't happened, he reminded himself. Like his other great fear - the older Naruto leaking Kyuubi chakra and attacking Konoha - this one would also never come to pass. His son was here, he was alive, and he needed his father's protection. The roiling in his chest settled slightly.

Ibiki continued, "Itachi might have done us a great service in retrieving the Kyuubi, but he also risked your life and all of Konoha by blowing past procedure. I recommend that the jinchuriki be processed according to regulation."

"No," Minato said. The denial cracked like a whip, and though Ibiki did not flinch, his eyes widened. "I see your point clearly - but no. I will not allow the child to be traumatized. He is afraid as it is. Konoha is to be his home. His first memories here must not be of masked shinobi sticking him with needles and delving into his mind. He must come to love Konoha. He must - he must not be afraid -"

"Hokage-sama..."

Minato recovered. "In any case, I have met the child and suffered no harm. Furthermore, Itachi was not so foolish as you suggest. As an Uchiha, he has an advantage over the Kyuubi, should it attempt to assert itself."

"You think Itachi could control the beast?"

"He could at least make it stumble, and I could transport the Kyuubi outside Konoha." _And rescue Naruto from its clutches,_ he added.

"Very well, Hokage-sama."

"No," cried Genma, " _not_ very well. I'm not leaving the Hokage with some unknown jinchuriki who's rigged to blow."

Minato winced. "Whatever you may think, Gemna, I'm quite able to handle -"

"But think of _me_ , Hokage-sama, if you won't think of yourself. I mean, who would be your successor if the worst should happen? I'd get dragooned into guarding a stuck up Hyuuga or a bastard Uchiha or the Legendary Sucker or your pervy sensei - or worst of all, that ass Danzo. Have mercy on my poor nerves."

There really was no stopping Genma once he set his mind to something. The senbon whirled among his fingers in a blur. Minato sighed. "You can skulk outside the lounge. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Right there ready to throw myself in front of a rampaging bijuu? You got it, boss." He gave a thumbs up sign with his free hand, which looked especially silly coming from a guy in a panda mask. Bodyguards could be a hassle, but Minato respected the necessity. If keeping them around granted his villagers and shinobi peace of mind - yes… Minato reevaluated. Come to think of it, a strong bodyguard was worth his weight in gold. Strong and loyal and absolutely merciless to those who would harm his charge.

Minato looked at Ibiki. "Send for Hatake Kakashi."

… … …

"Whee-ow," whistled Genma softly as he studied the network of seals guarding the lounge. "Guess you weren't being so careless with your life after all, what with this pretty work locking the bijuu inside."

 _Not locking them inside_ , corrected Minato mentally as he began undoing the seals with eager hands. _Keeping everything else out._

"Mah, but you left the Uchiha alone with the little bijuu monster. Does this mean you _don't_ prefer him to me? I appreciate the gesture, but I prefer to eliminate the competition myself."

Minato listened to his prattle with a somewhat irked but rather amused ear. Most of his concentration was trained on the seals anyway, so filtering out Genma's nonsense was easy. The final seal clicked open. Minato turned the knob and nearly dove through the passage, but Genma stopped him.

"Minato," he said. Genma had removed his mask. His usually laughing face was solemn. "I'm sorry about Kushina-san."

The familiar wave of sorrow welled. In a way, he'd been preparing for her death for five years, but preparation didn't make the truth any easier to accept, especially when he could not give her a proper burial and mourn at her tomb.

"Me, too," he said simply. He began to turn back to the lounge, back to Naruto, but Genma looked so damn miserable. Minato paused, gave the jounin a tight smile, and said, "Oh and, Genma, if you ever again refer to my precious son as a little bijuu monster, I'll stab you with your own senbon." Then he shut the door behind him.

On the other side, Minato heard Genma's squawk. Let the little bastard - admittedly, the loyal and irreplaceable little bastard - stew on that for a few hours. There was no way to hide the full truth from the Hokage Guard Platoon in any case. Besides, he didn't want to. He wanted _someone_ to know that Naruto was his son. He wanted to shout it from the top of Hokage Tower, but Naruto and not his own selfishness must come first. If Hiashi went along with the plan - Minato's heart rebelled. He would save those thoughts for the morning.

Itachi didn't even twitch as Minato strode past the futon. The poor boy was out like a light. Minato kneeled next to the couch where Naruto slept and finally released the tension he didn't know he'd been carrying. The cord that had cinched itself around his heart allowed blood to flow again. He felt as though this whole long night he'd been holding his breath. Now he could release it and breathe more easily, but not without the occasional hitch. So many horrible things could have happened to this child from the moment of his birth. Minato could not know what Naruto had endured because _he hadn't been there_. Ignorance was no excuse. His son had needed him, and he wasn't there. The nightmare scenarios Minato had envisioned came rushing back to him, but with Naruto before him, so close under his eye, he could think of them with less terror. Such innocence embodied in Naruto's sleeping face could not harbor such malevolence. Konoha was safe, and so was Naruto. Minato had to believe that for the sake of his own sanity. As an exercise, he reasoned through the scenarios, found flaws in them, and discarded them, one by one - no, all _but_ one.

"Do you have a family somewhere out there?" he whispered to the child. Naruto had not responded to "okaa-san" when Minato had asked him about Kushina, but that didn't mean there wasn't a woman who had raised him and now longed for him. Or perhaps it was a man who raised Naruto until now, someone Naruto would call "otou-san."

It was a knife to his gut.

Minato could always kill the man.

He dropped his face into his palms and tried to recover the calm that the sight of Naruto had given him. The real problem was that he just didn't know anything. His imagination churned out these poisonous images that leached his ability to think calmly and rationally. He must not focus on what might be. Rather on what _was_. And Naruto was here with him.

Cautiously, he fingered the tips of Naruto's hair. With Naruto's eyes closed, Minato was able to appreciate his other perfect features. His little brows and chin - oh and his nose. His son had an adorable nose, Minato decided. His gaze traveled to the hand that still fisted the blanket. With a single finger, he touched the back of Naruto's hand and watched the fist tighten and relax. So small, so fragile, so perfect.

Minato lay down on the floor then, alongside the couch. He didn't think he could sleep if he tried, but being near Naruto and listening to the sounds of his steady breathing would give Minato the only peace he could find tonight.

* * *

 **Whew, I didn't expect quite so much angst here, but since these are elite shinobi they had to consider all the options. A weaponized jinchuriki is certainly one of those. You can expect more fluff and humor next time; after all, Naruto's got to wake up soon :)**

 **Also, I feel the need to mention that this is not in any way, shape, or form a Minato x Genma fic, not that there's anything wrong with the pairing. It's just not where this fic is going. Genma is known to have a playful personality. He's hiding his sincere concern about Minato behind that joking demeanor. I hope that came across in the writing.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I would be so grateful if you would send a review and tell me your thoughts!**


	4. Blessed Disaster

**I've gotten several questions about romantic pairings. Guess I can't be 100% certain since I haven't written the vast majority of the story; however, I do not anticipate any romance. There will be plenty of love in other forms! Also, in this fic, Itachi is twelve, and Sasuke is four. I thought that was roughly the right age difference when I started the story since I was convinced Itachi was sixteen or so when the massacre occurred, but when I checked that for confirmation (quite belatedly, I admit) the age difference was closer to five years. I hope any purists out there will grant me a little leeway here.**

 **Lastly, I'm going on vacation. The next update is a minimum of two weeks away. To make up for that, I wrote like mad to get another long chapter out!**

* * *

Blessed Disaster

Minato had every intention of remaining in the lounge, cut off from the rest of the world, until Naruto awakened, but those heavy chains of duty dragged him back out at dawn for a brief conference with Ibiki. The courier had not yet arrived in Konoha, nor had he made contact with ANBU squads patrolling the border. Well, if he didn't come, Minato would send his own courier to knock down the Tsuchikage's door.

When the sun had fully risen, he misused Genma to the extent of sending him out for food, though Minato had to stand in the crack of the doorway to keep Genma from peering in and disturbing Naruto's rest. When he returned in record time - laden with cereal, milk, rice, tea, miso soup, grilled fish, vegetables, and crackers - Genma leaped forward and tried to cram his head and arm through the door, prompting Minato to close it on him. He was able to snag the hefty bags from Genma first though.

The commotion made Itachi sit up on the futon, kunai drawn and grimacing from the sudden movement. Seeing Minato, he then glanced at the couch where Naruto still slept. The Uchiha blinked, relaxed, and sheathed the kunai.

"I'm glad you can still move," Minato observed, careful to use a hushed tone. "Though with plenty of stiffness, I see."

"I'm perfectly fine, Hokage-sama," he answered in the same tone. As though to prove the claim, Itachi stood and began to stretch his arms. Then he brushed off the futon and folded it. This was all done under the watchful eye of the Hokage, who understood that Itachi did not want to show weakness in front of him. Minato hoped there was someone with whom Itachi could be perfectly honest and at ease.

Minato carried the food to the table and began to unpack it.

"I suppose I should leave now?" asked Itachi.

"Don't be silly. Have some breakfast."

He nodded. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

While he laid out the abundant meal options, Minato watched the boy from the corner of his eye and saw that Itachi winced as he sat down. He would need vigorous activity to loosen his muscles. Minato couldn't keep him inside all day watching over Naruto.

"I'm not having you arrested, of course. You must take a few days of leave," said Minato. "You've earned it. Take some time to visit your brother. I'm sure he misses you. Here, have some fish."

Itachi filled a bowl with rice and put the fish slivers on top. Minato passed him a bowl of miso soup.

"With respect," said Itachi, "I would prefer a mission rather than leave. Considering the situation with Iwa, there must be something I can do; though I understand my position in ANBU is precarious -" His eyes flickered in apparent hope that the Yondaime would contradict him.

"As to that," said Minato, a trifle uncomfortable, "if I were to announce the truth of your actions to the village, there would scarcely be a shinobi who would not accept your rationale for throwing the mission. They would praise you for it. Yamanaka Inoichi has already called you a hero." He nodded to show his own agreement. "But I am hoping to introduce Naruto to the village in a more clandestine manner and slowly enough that he doesn't grow alarmed by...an overabundance of attention."

"They would be curious about him," Itachi agreed. "Insatiably so."

As he busied himself with his own breakfast, Minato said, "You had the presence of mind to hide his appearance and avoid that very situation. You cannot imagine - I cannot properly express my gratitude to you. His anonymity gives me options, but it also means that the village, including your family -"

"- will remain ignorant," finished Itachi. "I understand, Hokage-sama. It's the smart thing to do."

"You might feel somewhat isolated until the truth comes out, and I hope that will only happen once the conflict with Iwa is resolved," said Minato. He searched for dissatisfaction in Itachi's demeanor and found none. Damn, he wished the boy would complain a little, if only to alleviate some of Minato's guilt. "It is poor repayment for your courage."

"You owe me nothing, Hokage-sama. I did what any shinobi of the Leaf would have done."

"You might experience some resentment," Minato cautioned. "Some shinobi might think you've been granted clemency out of favoritism - or as a result of your father's maneuvering."

"That's fine, Hokage-sama. It's nothing I'm not accustomed to."

"But you must take care," Minato insisted. "I like to think my shinobi are too disciplined to engage in petty deeds, but if any jealousy arises and causes someone to lash out, you must inform me immediately. I will speak to the man."

"Thank you, that won't be necessary."

"Damn it, Itachi-kun," he said, raising his voice. "Let me show some concern for you, hm?" Adept shinobi though he was, Itachi could not hide his surprise. It showed in the slight opening of his mouth and twitch of his eyelids. Irked, Minato continued, "You are entirely too self-sacrificing. I know that is an admirable quality for a shinobi, but I have no wish to see you impale yourself with good intentions. Have a care for your own life, would you? Now promise me you'll tell me about any backlash you face. Promise me, Itachi-kun."

Rather flummoxed, Itachi said, "You'll wake Naruto-kun."

That did, indeed, quiet the Yondaime and even made him glance guiltily at the couch. If Itachi weren't out of sorts, he might have smirked. However, a glow that he tried and failed to squelch warmed his chest. Itachi scorned himself. Was he a child? So desperate for affection that he would forget his role as a shinobi and indulge in the kindness the Yondaime exuded? At home, warmth disappeared the moment his father walked into the room. At home, Itachi was not a son; he was an elite Uchiha shinobi tasked with the duty of reporting the Yondaime's activities to the clan. The moment Itachi had seen Naruto in the woods, spoken to him, and realized who he must be, Itachi had known he must break with the clan, for he knew he was incapable of handing over the Yondaime's precious person to his family. His father had received the message, Itachi was certain. Loud and clear.

Hokage-sama leaned forward and whispered, "Promise me, Itachi-kun. Knocking a few heads together is the least I can do."

Left without a choice, Itachi nodded, though he suspected it was a promise he would end up breaking. The Hokage of Konohagakure could not involve himself in petty squabbles among his ranks or he really would be accused of favoritism, and a whole host of problems might arise from that perception. Nevertheless, Itachi appreciated the gesture more than he would admit.

Minato nodded in satisfaction. He took a few bites of food and thought things over as he chewed. Then he moved away from the table, bit his thumb, and summoned the messenger toad. Kosuke's body was mostly red, but the shading around his eyes and the top of his head were blue.

"They're on the way, Minato-kun," reported Kosuke. Minato put a finger over his lips to indicate the need for quiet. Kosuke hunkered down a little and glanced around for a threat, but unless a monster jumped out of the refrigerator, he didn't see what the big deal was. Just one Uchiha to keep an eye on, and Minato-kun could handle him.

"Any trouble finding them?" Minato whispered.

"Er, well, you might say that. I found Jiraiya-boy pretty quick like, and when he started to put up a fuss - 'cause the hot springs and all, you remember - but I did as you said and mentioned Kushina. That straightened him out, and he was off to hunt down Tsunade-hime, but she sensed him coming and led him on a chase, but she had already lost all her money and was too boozed up to get far. Jiraiya-boy took her to an inn to sleep it off some, but it turned out to be a love hotel, which he swears he didn't realize - fat chance of that, honestly - and when Tsunade-hime woke up, she hit him _really, really_ hard. When he finally came around, she was long gone, and we had to track her down again - "

"I understand," said Minato quickly. "As long as they're coming, it's fine."

"That they are, Minato-kun, that they -" Kosuke trailed off as his attention became fixed on something behind Minato. His naturally bulging eyes grew large. "Minato-kun...what is _that_?"

Minato looked back and saw something beautiful. His son pushed himself up from the couch and blinked away the sleepiness. When he yawned, a faint mewling noise sounded from his lips. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and though Minato knew some of the spikiness was natural, his hair was clearly mussed by sleep. Then Naruto rubbed his bleary eyes as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Naruto," Minato said, his voice almost reverent. Watching from across the room, Itachi saw something a little different. Naruto had woken up and immediately caught sight of the red and blue toad. The boy's interest was clearly piqued. He climbed off the couch to investigate.

"Minato-kun," Kosuke whispered urgently, "why does that thing look like you?" Kosuke could be excused for his rather unforgiving epithet because what he witnessed was still something different. With drool slipping out the corner of its mouth, the yellow-orange thing raised its arms out in front of its chest like some sort of monster and made grabbing motions, all the while stalking closer. The thing loomed over him and stared at him with feral eyes. Its mouth hung open. It salivated.

Minato drank in the sight of his living, breathing son and didn't notice Kosuke shrinking back in alarm. To Minato, it seemed that Naruto was willingly approaching him, and the father's starved heart swelled with gladness. Then Naruto released an unearthly screech and pounced.

" _Fwog!_ "

"Minato!"

" _Fwoggie!_ "

Predator and prey darted and hopped like mad in circles, across the length of the lounge, under and above the table, respective blurs of blonde and red.

"Minato!" cried Kosuke.

" _Fwog!_ " screeched Naruto.

Then Kosuke slipped and went tumbling across the floor. Naruto sprang upon him like a lion going for the kill. He got his hands around Kosuke's front leg. Yelping, Kosuke planted a flipper on Naruto's face and heaved. Naruto flew back, rolled, and landed on his rump. He blinked in surprise. Then he squealed in pure delight. Minato stared as Naruto pushed himself to his feet and hurtled after the toad.

Minato had thought the sleeping Naruto made a precious sight. This, though…small feet pattering across the floor, arms pumping as he raced towards the toad, the way he flung himself towards his heart's desire, laughing with abandon, his blue eyes shining with joy...well, Minato fell in love.

"Here, fwoggie!"

"Miiinnaattooooo!" Kosuke leaped straight for Minato's chest. By instinct, Minato caught and shielded the terrified toad, who hid his face in Minato's shoulder. A mournful, little boy screeched to a halt in front of Minato and stared upwards. Faced with Naruto's disappointment, Minato found he was quite willing to feed the toad to the beast. Anything to hear that laughter again.

Naruto pointed. "My fwog."

Assured of his personal safety, Kosuke waved a flipper-fist at the boy. "I'm no _frog_ , you brat! I am a proud toad of Mount Myo - wait! _Minato!_ "

Minato was already handing the toad over to his son, who clapped his hands and jumped in anticipation. Kosuke wriggled free and made a wild leap for the highest point in the room: the top of the refrigerator. He slid across its surface and smacked into the back wall. Naruto chased after him, grabbed hold of the handle on the refrigerator, and tried to climb. With little upper body strength to speak of, he couldn't pull himself straight up, but he was a determined little boy. Naruto began to swing and managed to hook his foot on the top of the counter next to the refrigerator. By grasping the side of the refrigerator with his other hand and wriggling his whole body, he squirmed his way onto the top of the counter. Naruto didn't pause to celebrate the achievement. That pleasure was reserved for Minato, who was rocked by a surge of pride. Wiry his son might be, but the little fellow had all the agility of a fine shinobi-to-be.

With another shout of " _Fwoggie!_ " Naruto tried to leap to the top of the refrigerator. His arms came up short, and Naruto's brows furrowed in an expression that Minato was coming to adore. All the while, Kosuke kept shrieking that he didn't know what madness had come over Minato and that he would shortly return to Mount Myoboku and take this matter up with the elders, you better believe it! Minato was too busy admiring his son to take note.

Undeterred by the great height, Naruto had started searching for objects to stand on. He grabbed the cereal box first and threw it away when he realized it couldn't hold his weight. He trotted across the counter, jumping over the sink, and studied the microwave with great interest. At this point, Minato began to worry he might hurt himself. There were too many sharp edges to hit his head on. Another important consideration came to him: Would Minato be a hero to him if he retrieved the toad? Minato fretted. It could also be that Naruto would resent him for interfering.

"I want an answer, Minato!"

Minato glanced at the toad, then at his determined son. His blue eyes seemed to reflect the red of the toad, so great was his desire. When Naruto began shoving the microwave across the counter, Minato approached the refrigerator.

"My fwog," Naruto said to Minato again. His lips were set in a mulish line.

"Your fwog - er, frog," Minato assured.

"I'm _no one's frog_! That's it! I'm leaving! See if I ever come at your summons again!"

"Kosuke, dear Kosuke," said Minato. The toad paused at the pleading note in the Yondaime's voice. Minato set his gaze on him and stepped closer. "My friend, Kosuke, I beg you...let go of your pride. Abandon your dignity. Become a frog. For my sake, make this child laugh again."

Kosuke finally started making the connections. His jaw dropped. Then a loud thunk marked Naruto's pushing the microwave into the sink. He hopped into the sink and started heaving the upended appliance to the other side.

"What do you think he'll do to me if he catches me?"

"I don't know."

"One condition, Minato-kun, before I sacrifice myself. Tell Bunta I'm your favorite."

"Deal," said Minato without a second thought.

Kosuke sighed. "Hey, kid!"

Naruto looked up, and Kosuke bunched his back legs and leaped. In a flash, Naruto had jumped to the ground after him. Minato breathlessly awaited the return of his infectious mirth. It didn't take long for peals of laughter to ring out and fill the whole of the lounge.

Sitting sedately at the table, Itachi watched this uproar with politely baffled amusement. He had trouble imagining his little brother going quite so wild for anything, nor could he imagine his father enjoying it so. Then he frowned. Should his otouto be having more fun? Was Sasuke too reserved? The thought bore consideration. For now though, he made tea to enjoy while watching the show.

Ten minutes later, Naruto showed no signs of slowing, but Kosuke was gasping for air and moaning every time the boy got within two feet of him. Minato began to pity Kosuke but not enough to step in and upset Naruto. He rather wished that Naruto wanted to play with _him_ as much as he did Kosuke. Patience, thought Minato.

Kosuke hung onto his lead and even managed to land on Naruto's head and launch himself from it - a feat that earned Naruto's squealing glee - but the toad's energy flagged until he felt like an udon noodle. Finally, Naruto pounced and landed atop the toad with a mighty _whap_ that drove any remaining air from Kosuke's lungs. Pinned to the ground, Kosuke twitched a flipper idly, just waiting for the door to death to open and suck him in.

"Got you, Fwoggie." Naruto giggled. Kosuke moaned. The boy just lay on top of him grinning. For a long moment, the two breathed in tandem. Then Naruto began to grab the toad's various appendages and study them, paying special attention to the webbed feet. He also poked the bumps along Kosuke's back while the toad just groaned. Minato had another bite of breakfast and considered ways to turn Naruto's attention to him. Itachi had suggested jutsus, but his techniques were weapons, not toys for play.

A knock sounded on the door, drawing two gazes. Naruto's head swung around all which-a-ways to find the source. Minato sighed, went to the door, and opened it a crack. Genma's mask was off, and a senbon stuck out from his mouth.

"I got a few guys standing outside saying they got every right to barge in, and Hyuuga Hiashi says you asked to see him."

A hollow sensation filled Minato's chest. It ached. "He's too early. I said mid-morning."

The senbon glinted. Genma grinned. "Want me to tell him to pack up his prissy backside and -" But the grin slipped from his face as his gaze fell downward. Minato tensed, and a soft thud hit the back of his leg. Naruto pushed his head between Minato and the doorframe and peered at the shinobi.

"Genma, why don't you come in," said Minato. He opened the door wider, prompting Naruto to trot over to the still prone Kosuke and sprawl atop him once again. For once, Genma was silent, but he stepped inside the lounge obediently.

"Genma, this is Naruto. Naruto, this is Genma."

When Minato nudged him, Genma said, "Er, hullo...chibi Yondaime-kun."

"My fwog," Naruto told him.

"Sure, kid." Then Genma's eyes flickered to Itachi, who still sat calmly at the table, then to Minato. "Guess I can see why you've been acting so weird. Did some psycho clone you or is he -?"

"Kushina's son. There's no doubt." Minato gave him a moment to process that before saying, "I'd like more time with him before the politics of the village -" he considered and discarded several choice phrases before settling on "- interfere."

"Sure thing, Yondaime-sama. I can stonewall like Hokage Monument." He began to look eager and pounded a fist into his other palm. "Better yet, I'll send around for Maito Gai. Special mission from the Yondaime or some such. He'll start weeping with the recognition of his springtime of - er, is he supposed to do that?"

Minato glanced around in time to see Naruto's mouth open wide, pearly teeth gleaming. "Naruto!"

Too late. Naruto sank his teeth into Kosuke's leg. Kosuke, who had been in an oblivious state bordering on delirium, suddenly yelped and flipped over, sending Naruto tumbling. Sensing that the game was on, Naruto bounded to his feet with a wide grin, blue eyes alight.

"Kushina-san's son, all right," said Genma.

The knowing tone distracted Minato. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Erm," he coughed, "just that she was, you know...lively?"

Kosuke's shrieking saved Genma from further explanation. "That is it, Minato-kun! I've had it with the hellion! I will not be eaten by your feral offspring!"

As Naruto barreled past the couch in pursuit, Minato stepped in front of him. Naruto tried to dart around him, but Minato was much faster and stepped in front of him again. This went on for a good two minutes before Naruto stopped and glared at Minato, who might have been wretched at this sign of Naruto's displeasure. However, the expression was far too cute to inflict serious damage. Besides, it was one of the few times Naruto had looked at him for more than a passing moment. More importantly, Naruto's defiance was a marked difference from the scared little boy of last night. Minato saw that as a good thing. A very good thing.

Minato kneeled and tried to adopt a stern tone. "Naruto, we don't bite our friends."

"Wanta play," he said in a plaintive tone.

"You must be hungry. You should have breakfast with Itachi-kun while Kosuke rests, but first you must apologize to Kosuke."

"Hungwee," said Naruto, with a hint of a question. His eyes left Minato and traveled to Kosuke.

"You see?" cried Kosuke. "Feral."

"No, Naruto. Toads - ah, frogs are friends, not food."

"Food," he insisted.

"No, they are not food."

"Yes, dhey are."

By the mulish set of of his son's jaw, Minato sensed an argument he couldn't win with reason, so he switched tactics. "There's better food on the table. Very yummy food. Itachi-kun likes it, see?"

Itachi took another sip of tea and met Naruto's gaze. Naruto seemed to remember that he liked Itachi and scampered over to him. Itachi held a piece of fish out with his chopsticks. Naruto eyed it speculatively before chomping down, after which he climbed into Itachi's lap and starting grabbing various items from the tabletop. Itachi moved the hot tea away so he wouldn't knock it over. Soon, Naruto was leaning against Itachi's chest and munching on fish and rice. Itachi even got him to eat a vegetable, but Naruto might have only allowed it since he didn't know what the carrot was. He made a face but didn't spit it out.

"Hokage-sama," said Genma. He transferred the senbon to his hand and started twirling it. "I'll get the stonewalling started."

"I won't be too long." No, he thought with gloom. The time would pass all too quickly.

"Itachi-kun," said Genma in parting. "Don't make any plays while I'm gone. Just because the kid likes you -"

"Good _bye_ , Genma," said Minato. He practically booted the man out the door. Itachi's face quirked in a bemused expression. He had never known what to make of Genma and his ilk. Konoha had some very peculiar shinobi among its ranks. The more skilled, the more unusual. Itachi frowned. He was considered elite. Would he begin to develop such oddities?

"Minato-kun," said Kosuke, "I'm heading back home now. I need an oil bath. And a massage. And a long doze under the sun. And I'm going to raid Bunta's sake stash. I honestly don't care if he kills me for it."

"Of course, thank you, Kosuke. You've been such a help." Kosuke snorted, but Minato got to his knees and placed a hand on Kosuke's head. "You made him smile. He woke up in Konoha for the first time, and he didn't have to be afraid. Only you could have achieved this, making him laugh and play. It means - more than you know."

By that point, Kosuke was glancing shyly towards his flippers. "Well, he's a savage little menace, but I'm not opposed to, erm, playing with him again. Just playing," he repeated quickly. "You gotta break him of the whole eating me thing."

Apparently threatened by Minato's proximity to Kosuke, Naruto stood up in Itachi's lap, pointed, and insisted, " _My_ fwog."

"On second thought…" said Kosuke. He disappeared with a little pop.

Naruto gaped at the empty space. Itachi put another piece of fish in his open mouth. As he chewed, Naruto stared at Minato in growing consternation. Minato chuckled weakly and rubbed his head. Naruto's betrayed expression only grew more stark as Minato returned to the table and continued his breakfast where he left off. He made his own tea and held some hope that Naruto would grow fascinated by the steam again, but Naruto's wariness was only interrupted when Itachi plied him with vegetables. Then his disgust had at least one other channel.

Minato realized he was already establishing himself as the kind of adult who took away all the fun. Kushina would know what to do to. She would know how to win the trust of their son. Then again, did Minato have the right to even try? If Hiashi agreed, Minato would be passing off the responsibility to the Hyuugas. Minato would make excuses to see Naruto, but the Hyuugas would be his guardians, his playmates, his parents. In a few days, Minato would exist in Naruto's memory as nothing more than the lowlife who took away his frog - if Naruto remembered him at all.

"Hokage-sama," said Itachi.

Minato looked up from his thoughts.

"You'll be leaving me alone with Naruto, won't you?"

"Ah, yes, I'd hoped to. For an hour or so. Are you up to it? I could -" he grimaced, "I could send Genma here for reinforcement…"

Naruto glanced between the two of them suspiciously.

"Reinforcements would be welcome," said Itachi, "Naruto has boundless energy. Also, it occurs to me that, since Naruto likes frogs so much, he might really like the person who summons them."

Itachi was a true genius. In that moment, Minato knew it for sure. Why hadn't he thought of this? He stood up, pushed the chair back, and bit his thumb. " _Kuchiyose no jutsu!_ "

No fewer than ten toads poofed into existence - all different shades and sizes, though only two were larger than Kosuke. Many of them had been summoned for the first time and took a moment to appreciate the novelty as well as admire their summoner, whom they had heard so much about. They chattered to each other with excitement and hopped around. Minato studied them with great satisfaction. Feeling proud, he turned to see Naruto's reaction.

His son stood on top of the table amid all the food containers. His jaw had dropped, and his eyes bulged like a toad's upon seeing the colorful array of bouncing, croaking, warty amphibians. He raised his arms. He began to drool.

… … …

Some time later, Minato left the lounge with a bright smile on his face. The toads had taken up their charge with all the eagerness of youth. Any tales Kosuke spread at Mount Myoboku must not have reached their ears yet. For that, Minato was quite grateful. Itachi would have to keep a close watch to keep Naruto from eating any of them, but he thought the risk was acceptable. After all, Naruto's eyes had shone again. He could be happy in Konoha. He liked Itachi and toads. So what if Minato himself rated somewhere between onigiri and a flushing toilet in Naruto's heart? His son had smiled and laughed with abandon. Minato's worst fears of Naruto suffering abuse and never recovering were somewhat alleviated.

Buoyed by good feelings, Minato eyed the assemblage outside the Hokage Tower with a surprising amount of tolerance. It was roughly the same group as last night, though Danzo - bandaged and boorish as always - had joined the councillors. And there was Genma, supposedly placating them and likely rousing them to a fury instead. Like the Yellow Flash he was, Minato sprang down from his office and landed among them in a split second. So sudden was his appearance that several of them jumped backwards or flinched.

There was a long pause before Hiashi motioned to Genma and said, "Hokage-sama, did you give this idiot permission to charge five hundred expensive watches to the Hyuuga treasury and install a sundial in our central garden?"

Minato blinked. Genma said, "Just trying to help with your little problem, as we discussed." He whispered to Minato, "I figure it's the eyes. Not able to read the amount of sunlight and make a simple inference. Mid-morning, honestly, it's not that hard."

"Hokage-sama," said Uchiha Fugaku, pushing his way to the front of the small crowd, "I insist upon seeing my son."

"Denied for now, Fugaku-san. Soon, though."

The Uchiha set his jaw. The Hokage's tone was far too complacent, and his expression was almost...moony? Was he mocking the Uchihas? Fugaku had not slept for a moment as the image of his son's Mangekyo Sharingan bored into him. He'd tossed and turned and kept Mikoto awake. To make matters worse, Sasuke had come into their bedroom asking about his nii-san. How dare people spread rumors about his family, to the extent that the toxic words reached the ears of his younger son? Sasuke's older brother had much to atone for.

Fugaku was about to offer a biting response, but before he could, the Yondaime put a hand on his shoulder. "Gomenasai, Fugaku-san. I understand your frustration. I truly do. Not knowing how your son is feeling, not being able to comfort him if he needs it, not being able to watch over him or come to his rescue - it is the job of fathers, is it not? And I've taken that from you."

The Yondaime's expression exuded commiseration, which Fugaku was quite at a loss to understand. Fugaku wanted to discipline his son and talk sense into him, not comfort him.

"I hope you can accept my word for the moment, Fugaku-san. Itachi-kun is quite well."

A long moment of silence followed this peculiar interaction, which Councilwoman Koharu broke. "Hokage-sama, we have been kept waiting long enough. It is an outrage! With the village's safety in peril, you cannot ignore our council and carry on with such abominable secrecy."

"Forgive me, Koharu-san, I beg your patience a little longer." Then he asked, "Did a courier arrive?"

Towards the back of the group, Ibiki cleared his throat. "A two-man team claiming to be couriers made contact with a squad at the border two hours ago. They are making quick time."

"You did not inform us," accused Koharu.

"It was information meant for the Hokage's ears first."

"Very good," said Minato. "Escort them into Konoha with all courtesy. I will speak to them on the roof of Hokage Tower. Until then, there is little else to do."

"Except to reveal the intelligence! Except to arrest Uchiha Itachi!"

"Absolutely not," said Fugaku.

"Our citizens expect action," said Homura. "Not a soul in Konoha does not know that the Uchiha heir has brought war down on our heads. Every death will be blamed on him. There are questions of his mental stability."

Fugaku clenched his jaw so tightly that his teeth hurt. He might be furious with Itachi, but he would not allow his son to be defamed - certainly not by a horde of ignorant civilians and ignoble shinobi. He sucked in a breath to defend his son.

"That is quite enough, Homura-san," said the Hokage. His eyes glinted with anger, and Fugaku lost much of his righteous indignation. "Right now, I require the compliance if not the trust of my councillors. Itachi-kun will not be arrested. Not now, not ever. That is final. I will speak to Hiashi-san and soon report to the rest of you."

"Why are the Hyuugas shown favor?" asked Fugaku. There, a legitimate complaint. Something he could use. "It is my son you are holding captive in the tower."

A sinking sensation washed over Minato. It was all coming back to him, all the frustration and anger and annoyance. This morning was like a dream. He was reawakening to reality, and reality held a terrible danger for his son, whose future depended on him and on these people before him: Hyuuga Hiashi, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Chouza, even Koharu and Homura. Others, too. Fugaku's clan was integral to Konoha's defense and internal security. Then there was Aburame Shibi and - and Inuzuka Tsume. She stood near Ibiki and seemed to pay little attention to the group. Her gaze was fixed on something by her feet. Minato shifted and bent to the side to better see her.

What was that thing with Tsume? A furry creature growled and swung from her hand. Small feet climbed her leg and flipped over, trying to escape from her iron grip. Ah, it was human child. Red triangles marked his face. A mane of hair obscured his forehead and ears. A rather bestial human child.

"Hokage-sama, are you hearing me?" demanded Fugaku.

Minato eyed the snaggle-toothed boy who was gnawing on his mother's hand. Noticing his attention, Tsume tried without success to make her son stand straight. "Hokage-sama, my last sitter quit after he chewed holes in her shoes and -"

"Tsume-san," he said. "I need to borrow that."

Silence. Awkward glances.

"By _that_ , do you mean my son?" Tsume was not so much offended as taken aback.

"Ah, gomenasai, yes. How old is he?"

"Five this July."

Perfect. "And what is his name?"

"Erm, Kiba. He's my second kid."

"May I borrow Kiba-kun, Tsume-san?"

She scowled. "I usually insist on knowing where my son is and who he's with at all times. I don't mean disrespect, but keeping tabs on your kid - it's just good parenting."

The Hokage winced. Why? wondered Tsume, but his bruised expression quickly cleared. The Hokage said, "Quite right. Of course. You must come then."

To the astonishment of the clansmen, the Hokage leaped back to his office, and Tsume shrugged, pulled her wild child to her hip, and leaped after him. When she left the Hokage's Tower twenty minutes later without her son dangling from her hand, she only said, "Hm...oh, I expect Kiba will have fun. Fun, yes..."

Then she wandered off, looking dazed. Frustrated shinobi nearly howled. When the Hokage returned a full half hour later, he summoned Hiashi. The Hyuuga, once eager to learn the intelligence that had caused this uproar, had grown apprehensive. What if, in fact, there was a genjutsu that had passed from the Uchiha to Hokage-sama and now to Tsume-san. Perhaps the "child" the Uchiha had kidnapped was no child at all but in fact a ninja tool that released a sonic wave or some such thing and stupefied anyone exposed to it, better for the transmissible genjutsu to take effect. Had the Inuzuka boy just been sacrificed to it? Despite his misgivings, Hiashi would not show weakness before his peers. He would be on guard. He joined the Hokage in his office.

… … …

Minato studied Hiashi with terrible resentment that he hoped did not show on his face. For the thousandth time, a litany of excuses ran through his mind listing all the reasons he should claim Naruto as his own, but at the root of all of them was Minato's own selfish longing. The lost son of the Yondaime would attract far too much attention, and Minato had no illusions he could keep Naruto's existence a secret from Konoha, and from there the truth would spread to the ears of his enemies. His son would be threatened from every side: Iwa, trying to capture him and regain leverage over Minato; Kumo or Amegakure, interfering in the conflict to escalate the war; Kushina's kidnappers, if they weren't from Iwa already, trying to finish what they started. Would Minato's first significant act as father be to endanger his child? No. Never. No matter how it hurt.

He still had a few hours with Naruto. He needed to check the seal and ensure that none of the Kyuubi's chakra could leak through and alarm the Hyuugas. The Kyuubi would remain a secret to all but a select few. He would not let his son be rejected by his peers for something he couldn't control, especially when Minato would not be at his side to comfort him and explain that only love could combat the Kyuubi's hatred and the fear the Kyuubi induced. With any luck, though, that would be Minato's role in the end.

"Hokage-sama," Hiashi prompted. Minato had been staring at him intently for at least a minute, he realized. Minato rallied his courage.

"Hiashi-san, please come with me," said Minato, gesturing to the doorway. "I could tell you, but it makes more sense if you see." To Minato's eyes, the Hyuuga appeared strangely nervous; though it was hard to tell since his lack of pupils meant Minato couldn't observe any dilation – a tell-tale sign of anxiety. His posture seemed a little stiff, though, or stiffer than usual at least. Nevertheless, Hiashi followed him to the lounge.

Sounds of shrieking floated into the hallway, as did thumps and bumps and one rather worrying snap. Minato opened the door.

The lounge was destroyed. The fluff from couch pillows tumbled across the floor as two pairs of feet scurried around, bouncing on the springs in the couch, leaping from the arm of it, and hopping over toads. And the toads…most of them lay splayed out across the floor, belly up with exhaustion. Meanwhile Naruto and Kiba-kun raced around an obstacle course of their own design. Minato had known Kiba-kun would be a valuable companion from the moment he'd sniffed Naruto, prompting Naruto to pinch him, prompting Kiba-kun to tackle him. They'd tumbled across the floor for several minutes, neither showing signs of flagging. So what if Kiba-kun had a habit of biting? Naruto did, too. Maybe if they bit each other they would realize how much it hurt and stop all together.

"Naruto," called Minato. His son paused for a brief moment and studied him and then Hiashi before he resumed his pursuit of Kiba-kun. That was all the notice Minato was worth it seemed. Would Minato ever see Naruto's face light up at the sight of him, sharing that perfect moment of joyful recognition between parent and child? Would Naruto ever run to him simply because he wanted to be near his father?

"I've seen enough," said Hiashi in a rather strained voice. They were both quiet as they walked back up the Hokage's office and sat down in the same manner. At this, the final hour, Minato was plagued again by doubt as he tried to work up the nerve he needed to pass off the care of his son to another.

Hiashi beat him to it. "You want to present him as one of my clan, don't you?"

Minato nodded.

"It casts me and mine in a most dishonorable light. Why not make him an Uchiha?"

Minato almost didn't dignify the silly question with a response. Hiashi understood already. Out of courtesy alone, he replied, "The Uchiha are at odds with too many in the village already, and with Itachi's role in this, it would turn negative attention entirely on their shoulders. They do not deserve such ignominy. Neither do we want to exacerbate tensions within Konoha, especially not with the threat of war with Iwa."

"Better to divide blame between the two most powerful clans," Hiashi finished. He sighed. "We served up my twin brother like a slaughtered pig to stop war from breaking out again, yet here it is at our doorstep."

"I understand that was Hizashi-san's choice," Minato said gently. "And his sacrifice can save Konoha once again. The Hyuuga clan lost a valuable family member to Kumo's aggression. They will not give up a child to Iwa. Some such rationale."

"There are a multitude of considerations. Who is to be his 'father'? Who is to care for the boy? He would be inducted into the Branch family, of course. The Main family must not be humiliated in such a fashion."

With an edge to his voice, Minato said, "Any humiliation the Hyuugas are forced to endure will be vindicated when the threat to Konoha is neutralized and the guardianship of my son returns to me. And I won't allow that wretched seal to be placed on his forehead."

Hiashi stiffened but said, "Naruto can't be five yet, can he? And he is rather small for four. He might even pass for three years old. Most in the family do not condone placing the seal on any children younger than five. If anyone wishes the ceremony to take place regardless, I can make the argument that he should not receive the seal until he is more familiar with our ways. My permission must be solicited, and I would not give it, of course."

Minato had almost hoped the cursed seal would be the key to preventing this whole thing from occurring. His heart filled with dread. "Do you accept this mission then, Hiashi-san?"

"For the good of Konoha, for the peace of mind of our Hokage, and for the safety and wellbeing of his son, I do."

Minato closed his eyes, breathed once deeply, and said, "Thank you."

The two men sat in silence for a long moment, each contemplating the days and weeks ahead. The same subject revolved in their minds, though with vastly different feelings.

"He appears…energetic," said Hiashi, thinking of the more sedate nature of his clan.

"I believe it was Kiba-kun who tore apart the pillows," Minato said. "Though it does seem that Naruto has lived rather wildly."

"'Naruto' is hardly an appropriate name for a Hyuuga. Or any wanted child for that matter." But Hiashi did not suggest any changes to it. He stood. "All that remains is to consider an acceptable father figure who will admit to endangering the sanctity of our kekkai genkai."

"Do you anticipate any difficulties?"

"Not at all. If a Branch member is not willing, he can simply be compelled." He said this in a rather dry tone, which saved him from a sharp remonstration from his Hokage. From that tone and the look of discontent that accompanied it, Minato interpreted Hiashi's displeasure with the cursed seal's powers.

Hiashi stood. "Might I have a few hours to prepare, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, of course," he said quickly. "Take as much time as you need. Or rather more than you need."

Minato's breathlessness caused a small smile to twitch Hiashi's lips. As he walked to the window, he said, "Fatherhood is a powerful and terrifying experience. I hope –" he trailed off and frowned. When he spoke again, his voice was strained. "Hokage-sama, I rather think these plans have soured in their infancy."

"What?" Minato stood at the window in a flash, and the shock of horror rooted him to the floor. It could not be. It must not be. There - on the ground, bounding along beside a purple toad and Kiba-kun, in full view of a dozen clan heads and jounin - was his son.

Minato flung himself out the window and landed in blur next to an unsuspecting Naruto, whom he ripped off the ground by the waist. Minato never stopped moving. The moment he landed, he began spinning to put his back between Naruto and the stunned faces of the assembled shinobi. His own men, true, but where Naruto was concerned, they were all dangerous. Fugaku and Inoichi and Chouza and Danzo and – and – who was -? Kami-sama, two men wore the forehead protectors of Iwa. The couriers. Iwa. The Tsuchikage. Naruto. This realization occurred in a split second of fluid motion. Naruto's legs flew in an arc as they spun together until Minato hooked them under his other arm and clenched his son to his chest. Still in motion, Minato bent at the knees and prepared to spring to the roof.

A high-pitched shriek of alarm stopped him. Naruto's cry. Minato had scared him, scared his boy when all he ever wanted to do was protect him. Minato's eyes darted downward where he had crammed Naruto's face against his chest. Those blue eyes peered back at him with shock – and terror – and – no, that wasn't it – such shining, the same light in his eyes as when he played with the toads. Naruto squirmed, and his face lifted to Minato's fully. Bright, laughing eyes and a wide grin. A hand reached up and grabbed his cloak.

"Again!" Naruto shrieked happily.

Minato took stock. His son was cradled in his arms as he should have been from the day he was born. The shining eyes were trained not on toads or food or Itachi but on _him_. His heart quaked with the surge of emotion and was struck with fear as reality set back in. Minato's mind whirled at a mile a minute for a way to explain this to Konoha and Iwa. For they had all seen him. They all knew he was the child Itachi had brought from the Land of Earth, and by their shocked expressions, they all saw Minato in him. What was it Genma had said? Chibi Yondaime. And if the resemblance wasn't enough, Minato's own startling instinct to shield him must engrave the truth into their minds.

Those were Minato's rapid-fire thoughts in the split second before he was about to spring, but instead, his legs unbent. He stood with his back to the shinobi and simply breathed while Naruto squirmed in his arms. His arms, thought Minato, sidetracked again. For the first time, he held his son, and Minato didn't know how to let him go. Maybe he didn't have to. There was no hiding this, not anymore. He shouldn't be so grateful.

In moments, it became clear that the stillness was unacceptable to Naruto. When Minato loosened his strong grip, Naruto pulled himself upright. Minato began to turn to face the clan heads and councilors – and the Iwa nin, he would not let them make a single move without his knowledge. Naruto grabbed hold off Minato's Hokage cloak collar and poked his head over Minato's shoulder, but he didn't stop there. He fisted a hand in Minato's hair, making him wince. Knees and elbows jabbed at him as Naruto climbed, but he endured it and finished turning around to face the gathered clansmen. Finally, Naruto stood atop Minato's shoulders.

"Big!" Naruto shouted with delight. Naruto still held a hank of his hair and kept yanking on it to maintain his balance. Minato reached up an arm to stabilize him. He still hadn't managed to meet the astonished stares he knew awaited him.

"Ho-Hokage-sama…who is _he_?"

Minato didn't have a chance to answer. Atop his perch, the little blonde leveled a finger at them all. "Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!"

Minato slapped his free hand over his face, but while part of his mind was spinning with the consequences of this blessed disaster, another part was figuring out how it had happened. Itachi and ten toads had been watching Naruto and Kiba-kun. Itachi would never let Naruto leave, not when it clear Minato wanted secrecy. Could Itachi have been tricked or had he fallen asleep? Impossible.

It was – impossible.

Heart lurching, Minato grabbed Naruto by the waist, flipped him around as Naruto laughed, and held his son in front of him as he asked, "Naruto, how did you get out of the tower?"

He was still grinning. "Tachi throwed us on fwog, and we hops out da window."

Minato's mouth went dry. He spun back to the tower just as it exploded.


	5. To Be Acknowledged

**Here you go. No more nasty cliffhanger.**

* * *

To Be Acknowledged

Smoke billowed from the gaping hole in the Hokage Tower. Fire cast a red glow on the gray clouds of smoke that rose into the sky. Those closest to the tower had jumped back and assumed defensive formations. Hyuuga Hiashi leaped from the Hokage's office down to the ground. Akimichi Chouza grabbed Kiba-kun, who promptly bit him. Uchiha Fugaku ran towards the blaze. Minato's bodyguards surrounded him, alert for a second attack, and Minato himself clasped his trembling son to his chest while wielding a three-pronged kunai. He placed a Hiraishin seal on the back of Naruto's neck and murmured to him that he was safe. And Naruto _was_ safe, Minato reassured his racing heart. Safe in his own arms. Itachi though -

"Put out the fire," he ordered two ANBU, who'd just arrived. To a second pair, he said, "Guard our guests from Iwa. Ibiki-san, establish a perimeter."

Minato's senses were hyper-aware, and the air itself became a pool of sensations: Each stirring or shifting caused a ripple. Not a movement occurred in a radius around Minato that he did not register and catalogue as threatening or not. Even his guards were suspect. He would not gamble with Naruto's life with the most trusted of his circle, not now that it was clear Konoha itself could be infiltrated.

A loud crack sounded from the tower, and fiery lumber rained down from what was once a window. The hole was blown into second and third stories from the top. By the Sage, the intruder must have been under his own feet as he'd spoken to Hiashi. How had an enemy shinobi gotten past the patrols? Even he had sensed nothing amiss, and Itachi - the young man to whom Minato owed everything - had saved Naruto again. If something happened to Itachi, Minato would never forgive himself. Minato watched his men dousing the flames with Suitons as one ANBU tried to block Fugaku from entering the building. Every moment Itachi did not appear lessened the odds he had survived the explosion.

"They've struck at our heart," said Ibiki beside him.

 _My_ heart, Minato thought. His son was surely the target. He tightened his grip and looked down. Naruto stared up at him with the eyes of last night - so wide, the pupils dilated with anxiety. Blue, but not sparkling. His lip quivered. Minato had to look away or risk scaring Naruto further. His rage set his veins afire. He had never felt such an overpowering urge for violence as he did now. Naruto had been laughing and playing. He was _happy_ \- until some intruder had ruined everything.

"Hokage-sama," said Ibiki, "I suggest you and the jin - ah, your son - perhaps you should retreat to a safehouse."

It was a mark of how drastically Minato's life had changed in the past twelve hours that the commander of ANBU would make such a suggestion and that Minato would consider it. Yesterday, he would have led the charge into the tower, but today, Ibiki read him correctly. Sick with anger though he was, Minato would not leave Naruto.

"We will wait for Itachi," he told Ibiki. Then Minato sucked in his breath and squinted to see beyond the angry smoke where the darkened figure of a man appeared. In a quick move, Minato switched the kunai to the hand that clutched Naruto. In his other, a glowing sphere sprang to life.

"Yes," he hissed in triumph and dispelled the Rasengan.

Enveloped in a cloud of purple chakra, Uchiha Itachi jumped through the smoke and fire. Even as he descended, the chakra began to dissipate. He touched down and jumped again in a single graceful motion toward his Hokage. His father made an about-face and pursued Itachi with more outward composure; however, the jerky strides he took suggested lingering worry. After the purple chakra completely disappeared, Itachi still looked oddly...colorful...and lumpy.

Minato blinked.

Toads. Five toads of various colorations clung to Itachi's shirt, on his chest, back, and arms.

The young Uchiha landed before Minato's bodyguards, whom Minato quickly ordered to stand down. Itachi kneeled to report, and Minato, to his great relief, discerned no injuries. A dark magenta toad with green eyes and brown, vertical stripes below his eyes hopped from Itachi's arm to his shoulder and stared at Minato dolefully. Naruto raised his head to study Itachi, but instead of throwing himself at the Uchiha, as Minato half-expected, Naruto settled more comfortably into his own arms. Naruto's little body gave a final shudder before the trembling ceased altogether.

"Hokage-sama," said Itachi. He stifled a cough. "A shinobi skilled in stealth -" He covered his mouth. His shoulders shook. "Pardon, skilled in stealth and evasion successfully infiltrated -" He tried to quell another coughing fit and gasped through it, "Threat neutralized."

"Take a moment to recover, Itachi-kun."

Minato gestured for one of his guards to share the information with the other ANBU. Raidou, wearing the mask of a bear, leaped to do so. While Minato motioned for Ibiki and Fugaku to approach, Itachi expelled the smoke from his lungs with forceful coughs. Fugaku's face was fixed into an expression of tightened lips and a narrow-eyed glare. Minato felt certain that Fugaku was concerned about his son - how could he not be? - but Minato thought it was just as well Itachi's head was turned down. Meanwhile, a small crowd had formed in the streets nearby, and clan heads had joined the jounins in both calming them and keeping them back. Smoke continued to climb the air until ANBU extinguished the fire, and a small contingent of the Uchiha Police Force muscled their way past an ANBU member trying to maintain the perimeter.

"Fugaku-san," said Minato, nodding towards the budding altercation.

Fugaku's glare became more pointed. His jaw tightened. "This is a matter of internal security and therefore a matter for the police. The attack occurred on Konoha's soil."

"It was almost certainly carried out by a foreign entity," said Minato. "This is ANBU's jurisdiction unless evidence indicates otherwise. Have your men tighten security on the streets. We must be wary of letting a panic break out."

Itachi coughed. Fugaku eyed his son, glared at the Hokage then at Ibiki, and strode over to his men, who instantly backed off at his sharp commands.

"I beg your pardon, Hokage-sama, Morino-san" said Itachi. Minato glimpsed water in his eyes from the suppression of his coughs. "The shinobi infiltrated Hokage Tower with incredible stealth. He was in the lounge itself before I became aware of him. He is dead now."

So close, thought Minato desperately. So close to Naruto. A hand's width? A hair's breadth?

"Just the one intruder?"

"To the best of my knowledge, yes."

"Did you learn anything from him?" asked Ibiki.

"I put him under a genjutsu to compel him to speak. He began to choke. I apologize. It may have been my genjutsu that activated a seal to strangle him."

"And the explosion?"

Itachi hesitated. "Under an outer layer of clothing, he was covered in exploding tags. He - I had removed the genjutsu in the hopes that the seal would deactivate, but as he continued choking, I thought I heard him say, 'Get out.' He may have been trying to warn me, which I find puzzling."

Minato and Ibiki exchanged glances. Their thoughts matched Itachi's.

"When I attempted to secure him, I discovered the exploding tags. I had already sent the children with the largest toad." At that, Itachi cast a guilty look upwards. Blast the boy, thought Minato. He put all the shinobi of Konoha including the Hokage himself to shame and had the nerve - or rather, the humility - to look guilty?

"The enemy had potential hostages," Minato said for now. "Your actions were appropriate."

Itachi released another cough, and Fugaku returned during it, having dispensed orders to the police. The man really needed to adopt a more neutral expression, thought Minato with some ire. He saw Itachi stiffen ever so slightly as his father approached. Minato prayed his presence never provoked such a reaction from Naruto. Though he supposed he should be more concerned right now with making sure Naruto could even pick him out from a crowd.

"The intruder seemed very surprised to be discovered," said Itachi. "I suspect, Hokage-sama, that his goal was to gather information and - not to -"

He tilted his head towards Naruto. Minato appreciated his care to avoid alarming Naruto further. It was hard to know at this moment what the boy understood, but Minato guessed the world for Naruto was divided between those who frightened him and those who fed him. Right now, he simply remained still in Minato's arms - too still, Minato feared. Was that a defense mechanism of some sort? Freezing when threatened? Or was it a result of Itachi's needing him to be still and quiet as they raced across three nations? In any case, Minato wanted to take Naruto away from the tower and the shinobi who shouted back and forth to one another as they tried to bring the situation under control.

The blackened hole in the tower's side still gave off wisps of smoke, but the structure stood as ANBU jumped in and around it. Puddles had formed on the ground from excessive Suiton use, and shinobi splashed through them as they secured the area. Minato should leave them to it. He could be no help to them. His most important tasks now were to restore Naruto's sense of security and insist that Itachi visit the hospital. Minato's eyes fell on the toads that still clung to Itachi, and he had to stifle a pang of guilt. The summons were little more than adolescents.

"Toads," said Minato. "Forgive me, I have not yet learned your names. I am sorry to have put your lives unknowingly in danger."

The magenta toad on Itachi's shoulder said, "I'm Gamaken, Yondaime-sama, and we aren't mad at you. We - erm - we are clumsy." His green eyes dropped with embarrassment.

"Clumsy?" asked Minato with some surprise. When the toad maintained an abashed silence, he looked at Itachi.

"These five, the youngest of the lot, couldn't undo the summoning and return home. They were too panicked," Itachi explained. Then he added, as an afterthought, "I had some difficulty catching them before the tags exploded."

Minato had a sudden mental picture of toads hopping wildly around the lounge while Itachi chased after them and struggled to restrain their squirming bodies. It almost made him laugh - almost.

Fugaku, however, choked upon the implication. In a biting tone that also managed to be aghast, he said, "You endangered your life to save _the frogs?_ "

A tense moment followed. Minato was deciding how to be diplomatic - thanking Itachi while being careful to not to suggest that his life was less important that the toads' while simultaneously wishing to ensure his summons that they were not expendable and all the while watching Fugaku's eye twitch with what was surely stark indignation.

"My fwogs."

The assertion caught everyone off guard. Eyes turned to Naruto, who leaned away from Minato's chest. Naruto met Fugaku's disapproving stare with one of his own. Then he wriggled, and Minato set him carefully upon the ground. Naruto's head did rise above Minato's knee but not by much. The little blonde did not take his eyes off Fugaku as he walked to stand before the still kneeling Itachi and the frogs - erm, toads. His jaw was set in an expression of displeasure. Then he reached for Gamaken, who submitted to a bone-crushing hug.

Itachi's mouth twitched to form a small smile. Ibiki blinked at the little boy. Fugaku's frown deepened. Minato almost melted with relief. Kami-sama bless the toads and Naruto's love for them.

"Naruto's frogs," Itachi calmly corrected his father. "And the Hokage's summons. The risk to myself was minimal."

"You have my sincere gratitude, Itachi-kun," said Minato. "Now trot over to the nearest med-nin. There's Taji-san. She'll do nicely. If she recommends it, you must visit the hospital. I'm sure your father supports me in this."

Fugaku was surprised to learn of his support when what he truly wanted was to drag Itachi back to clan headquarters and learn every detail of the events that had transpired these last two days. The blonde-haired boy who looked so like the Yondaime, could he be the son of Uzumaki Kushina? Fugaku saw no other explanation, and even as he recognized the boon the boy's discovery was for Konoha - opening a new avenue of inquiry to recover the Kyuubi no Yoko - he could not reconcile Itachi's recent behavior with that of the dutiful child he had raised.

Until yesterday around this time, Fugaku's life had operated in an acceptable manner. He had a strong, healthy family with a loving wife and two sons to carry on his legacy. He had problems to deal with, of course, including a growing clamor within his clan that gave him cause for concern. The investigation into Shisui's suicide three months past had only fanned the flames that burned so hot in the heart of an Uchiha. However, those involved were known quantities. They were family, and their grievances were not without merit, though he almost bit off Inabi's head after the suggestion that Itachi had a hand in Shisui's death.

Itachi was the clan heir and their most valuable asset: talented, poised, intelligent, articulate, even handsome. Not a single member of the Uchiha clan would deny his right to ascend as their leader when the time came for Fugaku to step down - if only Itachi would act the part. As it was, his son had started down a path of disinheritance. It wasn't until last night that Fugaku had understood how far Itachi's detachment had grown.

The Mangekyo Sharingan, such a treasure. A greater sign of Itachi's right to lead he could not fathom. And the purple chakra he had wrapped around himself as he leaped from the burning tower...could it be - could his son have awakened an ability so powerful it had not been seen since the days of Uchiha Madara?

Itachi _must_ see reason. Fugaku would make him.

"A moment, Hokage-sama," said Itachi. "Alone please."

Minato raised his brows but agreed instantly. "Recover the corpse of the shinobi, Ibiki-san. Its examination is top priority. Discover all we can from it."

Ibiki nodded to them both and departed. They looked at Fugaku - lost in his own thoughts - for a long moment during which he realized they expected him to leave. When he stood rooted to the ground, the Hokage and Itachi walked away from him as the little boy hopped along between them.

The sight was the latest in a string of unpleasant realities Fugaku was forced to accept. It was worse than Itachi's anger of last night, for anger and even hatred could be understood, could be molded, could be used. This, though - this was a dismissal, and from it, Fugaku could come to only one conclusion: The Hokage had suborned his son's loyalty. The realization was sucker punch to his gut. It left him weakened.

When had it happened? How had it happened? It was true that Itachi's reports about the Hokage had always been rather minimal in content and never carried suggestions of weakness or improprieties. The omission had never much bothered Fugaku in the past, for though he had more than one reservation about the man's leadership, he approved of Namikaze Minato. Or he had. Now a sense of distaste curdled in his stomach at the thought of the Yondaime. Itachi was meant to become a valuable member of ANBU and bring pride to their clan as he built a fearsome reputation before he eventually retired from ANBU, started a family, and took his rightful place as clan leader. Though ANBU reported to the Hokage, they were meant to be faceless soldiers who carried out the Hokage's directives without question. With such an impersonal relationship, how could the Yondaime have so thoroughly won his son's loyalty? What wiles had the man used? Shades of Madara, his son had nearly thrown his life away to save a few frogs but could not bring himself to attend a half-hour meeting with Uchiha clansmen!

Fugaku could not bear it. He spun on his heel. After a few minutes of slogging through the quagmire of doubt and denial, the image of Itachi's angry Sharingans morphed into the warm onyx eyes of his younger son. The thought of Sasuke soothed his wounded soul. It was a weakness, certainly, to grow dependent on familial bonds, especially when he was meant to be their strength, but Fugaku knew he could more easily confront the problems plaguing his clan and his firstborn if he could first fortify himself with Sasuke's affection. He quickened his step towards home.

Itachi watched him leaving from the corner of his eye and breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared for a moment that his father would challenge him or, worse, challenge Hokage-sama, but something had quenched his growing anger. Itachi didn't know what but was glad for it.

Ever insightful, Minato said, "He raced towards the flames, Itachi." He thought he detected a flicker in Itachi's eyes but hadn't a clue how to mend wounds of this nature, so he let it pass. The short distance he and Itachi had walked brought them closer to the street where a swelling crowd of civilians and young shinobi gathered. Minato purposely stayed within their view so that they could see their Hokage alive and well. It should go a long way to quelling panic.

Then Minato said to his summons, "Let's get you toads home. You must be exhausted."

Naruto was in the process of transferring the four other toads on Itachi to himself. Gamaken was perched on his head, rather comfortable amid the blonde locks of hair. A yellow toad rested on his shoulder, and Naruto cupped a bright green toad in his hands. He attempted to stuff it headfirst into the pocket of his shorts. He still didn't recognize the word "toad" so Minato's suggestion and the short conversation that followed flew over his head, but he certainly took note when the two toads still in Itachi's arms and the one on his own shoulder disappeared.

Minato realized his mistake a moment later as Naruto spun around, hunting for the missing toads. He needed to assure his son that the two toads with him now had chosen to stay with him for a while.

"Naruto," Minato began, but his voice caught in his throat at the look on his son's face.

Blue eyes brimming with outrage, Naruto jabbed a finger at Minato and said, "Bad!"

Then he ran.

 _Fled_.

Minato gaped at his son's retreating back, and his mind journeyed on a dizzying quest to figure out what the hell to do. A wave of anguish swelled within him, and it was all too easy to identify the cause. In an instant, the truth hammered itself into the marrow of his soul: Given the chance, Naruto would leave him. His son would not think twice about it. Minato meant nothing to him. He would simply vanish when he grew discontent. Minato could assign ANBU to protect him, to eliminate the enemy, and to bring back Naruto when he ran, but if Naruto could not come to see Konoha as home, Minato would become his captor. Even as Minato admired Naruto's independence, he feared it.

Minato watched his son race across the open ground, reaching an impressive speed for one so small. He wondered if this was a sign of things to come. He could catch up with Naruto in a second, but he didn't want to give Naruto another fright so soon after the last. And what good would grabbing him again do? Minato couldn't force his son to love him.

Or even tolerate him.

"Hokage-sama," said Itachi at his side. Minato shook his head. He had forgotten about the Uchiha.

"Yes?"

"I misreported information, Hokage-sama."

That got Minato's attention. He didn't turn his gaze from his son, who - much to his surprise - was running straight towards the largest bunch of shinobi. Minato eyed the shinobi in the vicinity for hands twitching for kunai or making covert signals. The possibility of a traitor within Konoha had not escaped him, and there were still the Iwa couriers to take into account. They stood between two ANBU guards, looking anxious and twitchy. Naruto's safety was paramount. Naruto might come to hate him forever, but Minato would allow no harm to come to his son.

The gathered shinobi certainly kept a close watch on the little blonde. The ANBU still remained vigilant for threats within and around the tower, but the off-duty jounin and clan heads stared without compunction. In their gazes was a sort of baffled fascination. There were whispers of the child's identity, and the name "Uzumaki" was tossed around.

"I'm listening, Itachi-kun."

"I did not detect the intruder, Hokage-sama. He was inside the lounge, and I had no inkling of his presence."

"He revealed himself?" asked Minato.

Itachi shook his head. "The shinobi's chakra was so well suppressed I would say it was erased. Likewise, his physical presence was not merely camouflaged; he had assumed a state of invisibility. Hokage-sama, I have never encountered a shinobi so well concealed in every way."

So this was the caliber of his enemy. "Then how did you sense him?"

"I didn't. Naruto did."

Minato started. A hundred questions raced through his mind, and he picked one almost at random. "How?"

"Naruto, Kiba-kun, and the frogs - ahem, the toads - were playing, and Naruto was running past me, but he stopped and pointed at the ceiling. He asked me why the sad man was hiding."

"The sad man?"

"Even knowing where to look I could not sense him," said Itachi, frustration heavy in his voice. "Even with my Sharingan, I could not make out his chakra. Then I -" he hesitated. His eyes darted towards the Hokage. "Then I activated a more advanced form of my Sharingan. I still could not see his body or his chakra, but a trace of him - more like a shadow of chakra - became visible to me. I tried to subdue him. The rest is as I said before."

Minato shook his head. Some Uzumakis had once been known to have great sensory perception, but he had never heard of the skill manifesting in one so young. Was his son so powerful a sensor? Kushina had never shown exceptional abilities in that area. Neither had he.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun. I will consider this carefully."

Minato tensed as Naruto reached the group of adults. Then Naruto's high-pitched voice rang out. "Kiba! He took da fwogs! He took da fwogs!"

Sitting atop a fat man's shoulder, Kiba understood that a game was afoot. He chomped down on the fat man's ear, planted a foot in the fat man's chubby cheek, and bounded between various pairs of legs to join Naruto in streaking across the field of mud and puddles. Within minutes, Naruto's trajectory had altered from the beeline it was to random zigzagging and haphazard circling. The toads leaped from his arms to hop around him and Kiba, much as they had in the lounge. Naruto took a running jump to land in puddle. The filthy water splashed everywhere, all over Naruto and the toads, and his son's laughter indicated to Minato that it might be safe to approach him again. Could Minato dare to hope his son had already forgotten the disappearing frogs in favor of the muddy puddles? Minato began strolling with false calm in his direction.

One ANBU sought to be helpful to his Hokage. As the little blonde barreled past him, he jumped towards the boy with arms outstretched to snatch him up. His leap was arrested mid-air, and a flash of pain shot from his shoulder down his spine. His legs couldn't move from the pain, and as the sky and ground traded places in his vision, he was deposited in a twisted lump into a puddle. A spot of yellow appeared in the corner of his eye.

"Forgive me, young man," said a voice the addled ANBU recognized as the Hokage's, "but please don't touch my son right now."

Seeing this, every shinobi present feared to come too near the blonde. Everywhere Naruto ran, adults scattered. For good measure, they avoided the Inuzuka boy, too, and when they scattered, they didn't simply move out of the way. They made exaggerated leaps to maintain a wide berth and kept checking over their shoulders for flashes of yellow. The boys eventually noticed this and began targeting the largest clumps of adults, shrieking with laughter as the big people fled.

The situation was fast devolving, Minato noted wryly. However, the chaos served at least one purpose. Ibiki's men had recovered the corpse of the intruder and made off with it without causing a bit of speculation. No one had noticed, not with their attention captured by his son. Last night, Minato had feared Naruto would become nervous and unsettled if too many eyes were trained on him - it was a large consideration when he'd determined to let the Hyuugas take him in - but from what he could see now, not only did Naruto not shrink from attention, he reveled in it.

Minato had decided to hide Naruto away and let him gradually adjust to life in Konoha, but Naruto had rejected so staid an introduction to the village and orchestrated one of his own design. Minato should be horrified. Instead, his mouth worked itself into a smile. Kushina's son indeed.

 _His_ son.

Breathing out, Minato molded chakra and disappeared into the interdimensional space marked by his Hiraishin seals, only to reappear above a mop of golden hair. In an instant, Minato flipped through the air and landed in a crouch. An astonished Naruto ran headlong into his father's open arms. Minato didn't give him a chance to recover from his surprise. He wrapped his arms around Naruto and lifted him off the ground.

They disappeared and reappeared on top of Hokage Tower. Naruto's head swiveled wildly as he adjusted to the sudden change in scenery. Minato absorbed Naruto's presence and curiosity. He truly was a beautiful little boy. The sun's rays caught his hair and brightened his eyes to a glow.

"Naruto," said Minato softly. He gestured to the view. "This is Konoha. I'd like for it to become your home."

Naruto leaned back in order look at Minato, who began to feel an acute sense of shyness. He cleared his throat. "There are many wonderful people here and so many good things to eat and fun things to do. You can make more friends like Itachi-kun and Kiba-kun. Konoha is where your mother and - and your father met, and I believe you can come to love living here. I'm - I'm the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha. That means it's my job to protect this precious place and the people who live here. I want - Naruto, if you'll let me, I want to protect you, too."

Minato smiled at him in the hopes that Naruto would at least understand that Minato meant him no harm. To his surprise, Naruto reached up a hand to touch his cheek. Then Minato realized a tear had slipped from the corner of his eye. Naruto caught it on a fingertip and studied the drop.

Wearing a puzzled expression, Naruto looked up at him again. "Not sad?"

"No, Naruto, I am very happy."

"You was mad - and bad."

"Not mad at you," said Minato hurriedly. "And I didn't mean to take the frogs away from you. They were going home to take a nap. They'll come back and play with you."

"Going home?" he echoed.

"They live in a place called Mount Myoboku, but they visit Konoha often."

Naruto pointed to the view beyond the tower. "Kohana?"

"Konoha," he said more slowly.

Naruto's lips moved silently over the syllables.

"Tachi?"

Minato studied the many shinobi on the ground. He tried to point out Itachi, who was speaking to the med-nin, Minato was pleased to see. "He's down there."

For some reason, Naruto giggled. Minato hadn't a clue why but enjoyed it all the same.

"Fwoggies?"

Gamaken was hard to spot, but the green toad at least was bright enough to catch his eye. He took a step towards the edge and felt Naruto tighten his hold on Minato's cloak. Was it deplorable that Minato enjoyed it so? He was learning many things about himself. He gave a rueful shake of his head.

"Kiba?"

It was both easy and hard to point out the Inuzuka. Kiba ran pell-mell through the puddles, highly visible against the backdrop of slower moving adults, but he didn't stay in one place long enough for Minato to point to. Chouza had begun chasing after him. Both of their sets of clothes were now the color of Kiba's hair. Minato hoped Tsume would still allow Kiba to play with Naruto. Speaking of Tsume, she was hustling past the crowd of villagers and carried something furry.

He caught sight of Inoichi. He - along with Ibiki, Itachi, and Genma - knew the full truth now: that Naruto was not only his son but was the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. That was one secret Minato was determined to keep. The Kyuubi -

Ah.

A thought struck Minato like a lightning bolt. Uzumaki Mito, the first jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, could sense negative emotions. What had Itachi said? The sad man. And Naruto had known how angry Minato was after the explosion. Kami-sama, could his son sense every negative emotion swirling around him at all times? Surely that would drive him mad. Checking the seal became a greater priority, right after dealing with the corpse and Iwa. And dispersing this crowd. And seeing to repairs in the towers. And reforming ANBU defenses. And ensuring the police was keeping the peace. And arranging for Naruto's protection while he was distracted.

He had to be the Hokage again...but not quite yet.

"Naruto." A mischievous grin stretched across his face. "Want to jump?"

Naruto's eyes grew big as he oggled the sheer drop. He searched Minato's expression, and whatever he found there convinced him. A similar grin spread across his own face. He nodded.

"Hold tight."

Naruto plastered himself against Minato's chest. His arms formed an iron grip around Minato's neck. When he jumped, Naruto squealed loudly in his ear, but he could easily bear the shrill sound if it meant his son was happy again. Airborne, Minato tightened his hold on Naruto and buried his face in the curve of Naruto's shoulder and neck, breathing in his scent.

It was too much to expect Naruto to experience the same jolt of recognition as Minato had the moment he laid eyes on him, but Minato could earn Naruto's acknowledgement. For so precious a hope, he would never give up.

* * *

 **Dear readers! This chapter began to get really long and rambling, so I've split it into two. I hope to get that second half to you soon. However, I am also determined to spend more time on my other Naruto fic, which is pretty close to being completed. If the next update takes more than two weeks, please check my profile for information about updates (if you're interested, that is). Wish I could give you more details, but I'm going to let my mood and muse decide how much to work on each story.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it!**


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